Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga, who this week appeared on the state broadcaster, ZBC, putting up a brave face saying he is strong, was on Thursday evening said to have been flown to India, and ZimEye moved to investigate.

By A Correspondent| Sources close to the Emmerson Mnangagwa faction have claimed that Chiwenga has been airlifted to India, government.

ZimEye tonight, telephones him to find out – We issue caution following this report because as at 9.30pm, Chiwenga’s number was reporting as engaged.

The latest development comes amid denials by the government following the embarrassing South Africa gaffe at the weekend.

The 62-year-old has since early last year and on several times, collapsed badly and risen up, before bouncing back into his government duties as if nothing has happened.

Last year March, he tripped, and injured his hand, sustaining a sprain that could limit his function for days.

“We were all worried when he slipped and hurt his hand but, as you saw, he is a fighter. He just had to be excused earlier to get his hand looked at,” said a staffer at the Shake Shake building and a politburo meeting continued without him.

Months later, Chiwenga would on several other accounts collapse and rise up again.

In the latest development, sources claimed to ZimEye, that Chiwenga was secretly flown to India following protests and threats of “more protests in South Africa.”

When he appeared on ZBC on Tuesday, Chiwenga’s body appeared shrunken and the tone of his voice staggering. Newsreaders took turns to compare his physical appearance with that of people who have been diagnosed with the deadly polonium poisoning.

Chiwenga has suggested that he was poisoned during Operation Restore Order, the coup in which he removed former President Robert Mugabe, saying his skin colour change was a result of “nhuta.”

While critics questioned how Chiwenga’s wife was also visibly suffering from the same condition, the latest has seen community rumours claim that of a truth the man was poisoned at some time.

Efforts to get an official comment from the Ministry Of Information were fruitless at the time of writing.

9.30PM UPDATE: ZimEye for 6 times telephoned Chiwenga and his cellphone reported as engaged. The development suggested that he is likely in the country since it would have gone into voicemail or failed altogether if he was mid air.