HARARE, Zimbabwe, Sept. 15 (UPI) — Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugave mistakenly delivered the wrong speech during opening proceedings in parliament Tuesday, repeating the same one he gave three weeks ago.
“The mix-up happened in his secretarial office, therefore the delivery in Parliament should be set aside,” The Herald quoted presidential spokesman George Charamba as saying.
Since opposition members of parliament were stringently warned against any disruptions, Mugabe, 91, is reported to have finished the speech without interruption. The first time Mugabe read the speech on Aug. 25, he was heckled by opposition MPs who sang protest songs, the BBC reports.
Some of the MPs from the opposition party, known as Movement for Democratic Change, were reported to have received anonymous death threats warning against future disruptions.
Several MPs sat in silence as Mugabe read the speech for a second time Tuesday, while others clapped regularly. Live broadcasts of the event were cancelled due to fear of MDC interruptions.
The speech reportedly comprised Mugabe’s 10-point plan to remedy Zimbabwe’s economic crisis, including labor reforms and efforts to stimulate investment from countries like China.
Afterward, an MDC spokesman is reported to have publicly questioned Mugabe’s fitness to run the country and called for his resignation.
Charamba said the “error is sincerely regretted and corrective measures are being considered.” He told reporters the correct speech will be given later on in the capital.
Mugabe’s office in February denied he had tripped while walking away from a podium, despite the incident being photographed and going viral on the Internet.
