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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Robert Mugabe fell over, tried to hide it and ended up becoming a meme | Robert Mugabe fell over, tried to hide it and ended up becoming a meme |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwe president and recently elected chair of the African Union (AU), was in Harare on Wednesday to give a speech. As he walked down from the podium, he appeared to trip and fall. It was caught on film. | Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwe president and recently elected chair of the African Union (AU), was in Harare on Wednesday to give a speech. As he walked down from the podium, he appeared to trip and fall. It was caught on film. |
| For a 90-year-old man, a trip is understandable. What's less easy to understand is what happened next: Zimbabwe's government issued a denial. | For a 90-year-old man, a trip is understandable. What's less easy to understand is what happened next: Zimbabwe's government issued a denial. |
| ‘’Nobody has shown any evidence of the president having fallen down because that did not happen," Information Minister Jonathan Moyo told the state-owned Zimbabwe Herald, before offering a more obtuse explanation. "The hump on which the president tripped was formed by two pieces of the carpet which apparently had not been laid out properly where they joined. And to be honest with you, even Jesus, let alone you, would have also tripped in that kind of situation." | ‘’Nobody has shown any evidence of the president having fallen down because that did not happen," Information Minister Jonathan Moyo told the state-owned Zimbabwe Herald, before offering a more obtuse explanation. "The hump on which the president tripped was formed by two pieces of the carpet which apparently had not been laid out properly where they joined. And to be honest with you, even Jesus, let alone you, would have also tripped in that kind of situation." |
| "In the circumstances, there’s really nothing to write home about the nonsensical celebrations by malcontents who are imagining a fall that never was since it was actually broken by the president himself,” Moyo said. | "In the circumstances, there’s really nothing to write home about the nonsensical celebrations by malcontents who are imagining a fall that never was since it was actually broken by the president himself,” Moyo said. |
| The information minister's comments formed part of a broader media response. While international media like the Associated Press caught it on film, local photographers are claiming that they were forced to delete their pictures of the fall by Mugabe's security personnel. For many Twitter users, the response to the fall seemed ridiculous: And thus, a meme was born: #MugabeFalls. | The information minister's comments formed part of a broader media response. While international media like the Associated Press caught it on film, local photographers are claiming that they were forced to delete their pictures of the fall by Mugabe's security personnel. For many Twitter users, the response to the fall seemed ridiculous: And thus, a meme was born: #MugabeFalls. |
| #MugabeFalls - I Saw It First pic.twitter.com/3zU1mgKOZD — Simon Kaheru (@skaheru) February 4, 2015 | #MugabeFalls - I Saw It First pic.twitter.com/3zU1mgKOZD — Simon Kaheru (@skaheru) February 4, 2015 |
| #MugabeFalls - I Saw It First pic.twitter.com/3zU1mgKOZD | #MugabeFalls - I Saw It First pic.twitter.com/3zU1mgKOZD |
| — Simon Kaheru (@skaheru) February 4, 2015 | — Simon Kaheru (@skaheru) February 4, 2015 |
| Uncle Bob Mugabe has earned a spot on the next season of 'Dancing With The Stars'. • @DancingABC #DWTS #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/v9ZcIbawdz — Michael Kirkpatrick (@OtimMichael) February 4, 2015 | Uncle Bob Mugabe has earned a spot on the next season of 'Dancing With The Stars'. • @DancingABC #DWTS #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/v9ZcIbawdz — Michael Kirkpatrick (@OtimMichael) February 4, 2015 |
| Uncle Bob Mugabe has earned a spot on the next season of 'Dancing With The Stars'. • @DancingABC #DWTS #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/v9ZcIbawdz | Uncle Bob Mugabe has earned a spot on the next season of 'Dancing With The Stars'. • @DancingABC #DWTS #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/v9ZcIbawdz |
| — Michael Kirkpatrick (@OtimMichael) February 4, 2015 | — Michael Kirkpatrick (@OtimMichael) February 4, 2015 |
| #MugabeFalls gave me life during this ugly load shedding situation pic.twitter.com/OGfKqKl7ku — Laetitia Mfuta (@LaetiMfuta) February 4, 2015 | #MugabeFalls gave me life during this ugly load shedding situation pic.twitter.com/OGfKqKl7ku — Laetitia Mfuta (@LaetiMfuta) February 4, 2015 |
| #MugabeFalls gave me life during this ugly load shedding situation pic.twitter.com/OGfKqKl7ku | #MugabeFalls gave me life during this ugly load shedding situation pic.twitter.com/OGfKqKl7ku |
| — Laetitia Mfuta (@LaetiMfuta) February 4, 2015 | — Laetitia Mfuta (@LaetiMfuta) February 4, 2015 |
| 3. The 90 Year old President of Zimbabwe, #MugabeFalls. #MugabeNeverFalls! He's just chasing the playa.. pic.twitter.com/HFwZ2xDTex — Spiwo kzn (@Spiwo) February 4, 2015 | 3. The 90 Year old President of Zimbabwe, #MugabeFalls. #MugabeNeverFalls! He's just chasing the playa.. pic.twitter.com/HFwZ2xDTex — Spiwo kzn (@Spiwo) February 4, 2015 |
| 3. The 90 Year old President of Zimbabwe, #MugabeFalls. #MugabeNeverFalls! He's just chasing the playa.. pic.twitter.com/HFwZ2xDTex | 3. The 90 Year old President of Zimbabwe, #MugabeFalls. #MugabeNeverFalls! He's just chasing the playa.. pic.twitter.com/HFwZ2xDTex |
| — Spiwo kzn (@Spiwo) February 4, 2015 | — Spiwo kzn (@Spiwo) February 4, 2015 |
| Boom RT @andy_nyika: we finally get a WINNER >>>> #MugabeFalls "@JoeWMuchiri: HAHAHAHA. pic.twitter.com/XMvlc1kEiI" — stevie e.......... (@Stevoste) February 4, 2015 | Boom RT @andy_nyika: we finally get a WINNER >>>> #MugabeFalls "@JoeWMuchiri: HAHAHAHA. pic.twitter.com/XMvlc1kEiI" — stevie e.......... (@Stevoste) February 4, 2015 |
| Boom RT @andy_nyika: we finally get a WINNER >>>> #MugabeFalls "@JoeWMuchiri: HAHAHAHA. pic.twitter.com/XMvlc1kEiI" | Boom RT @andy_nyika: we finally get a WINNER >>>> #MugabeFalls "@JoeWMuchiri: HAHAHAHA. pic.twitter.com/XMvlc1kEiI" |
| — stevie e.......... (@Stevoste) February 4, 2015 | — stevie e.......... (@Stevoste) February 4, 2015 |
| Yo lmao. Guys are quick. Mugabe hasn't even put GV on his wounds and folks have made all these memes? #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/FlFv53ZkFk — KB (@djkillbill) February 4, 2015 | Yo lmao. Guys are quick. Mugabe hasn't even put GV on his wounds and folks have made all these memes? #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/FlFv53ZkFk — KB (@djkillbill) February 4, 2015 |
| Yo lmao. Guys are quick. Mugabe hasn't even put GV on his wounds and folks have made all these memes? #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/FlFv53ZkFk | Yo lmao. Guys are quick. Mugabe hasn't even put GV on his wounds and folks have made all these memes? #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/FlFv53ZkFk |
| — KB (@djkillbill) February 4, 2015 | — KB (@djkillbill) February 4, 2015 |
| OK, so I just had to make one too: The Neverending Dictatorship #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/1VEYjy2bNo — griffin (@watkykjy) February 5, 2015 | OK, so I just had to make one too: The Neverending Dictatorship #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/1VEYjy2bNo — griffin (@watkykjy) February 5, 2015 |
| OK, so I just had to make one too: The Neverending Dictatorship #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/1VEYjy2bNo | OK, so I just had to make one too: The Neverending Dictatorship #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/1VEYjy2bNo |
| — griffin (@watkykjy) February 5, 2015 | — griffin (@watkykjy) February 5, 2015 |
| Honestly Robert there was more than enough space on that door for both of you #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/O1uEXc8XGA — Kelly Anderson (@kelchristine_) February 5, 2015 | Honestly Robert there was more than enough space on that door for both of you #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/O1uEXc8XGA — Kelly Anderson (@kelchristine_) February 5, 2015 |
| Honestly Robert there was more than enough space on that door for both of you #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/O1uEXc8XGA | Honestly Robert there was more than enough space on that door for both of you #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/O1uEXc8XGA |
| — Kelly Anderson (@kelchristine_) February 5, 2015 | — Kelly Anderson (@kelchristine_) February 5, 2015 |
| You dirty old man #MugabeFalls #BreakTheInternet pic.twitter.com/MQ2tRTFs48 — General Boles (@GeneralBoles) February 5, 2015 | You dirty old man #MugabeFalls #BreakTheInternet pic.twitter.com/MQ2tRTFs48 — General Boles (@GeneralBoles) February 5, 2015 |
| You dirty old man #MugabeFalls #BreakTheInternet pic.twitter.com/MQ2tRTFs48 | You dirty old man #MugabeFalls #BreakTheInternet pic.twitter.com/MQ2tRTFs48 |
| — General Boles (@GeneralBoles) February 5, 2015 | — General Boles (@GeneralBoles) February 5, 2015 |
| Introducing your new starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins. #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/dbA5fTnFNk — Jeffrey Smith (@Smith_RFKennedy) February 4, 2015 | Introducing your new starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins. #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/dbA5fTnFNk — Jeffrey Smith (@Smith_RFKennedy) February 4, 2015 |
| Introducing your new starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins. #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/dbA5fTnFNk | Introducing your new starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins. #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/dbA5fTnFNk |
| — Jeffrey Smith (@Smith_RFKennedy) February 4, 2015 | — Jeffrey Smith (@Smith_RFKennedy) February 4, 2015 |
| The official concern over the public perception of Mugabe's health is nothing new. The Zimbabwean strongman will be 91 in February and has led his country for almost 35 years, a period during which he has slowly become an international pariah. | The official concern over the public perception of Mugabe's health is nothing new. The Zimbabwean strongman will be 91 in February and has led his country for almost 35 years, a period during which he has slowly become an international pariah. |
| Exactly what happens after he leaves office isn't clear, and reports about his health are treated like state secrets by the Zimbabwean government. On his 90th birthday, for example, a spokesperson had to deny reports that his frequent trips to Singapore were due to treatment for undisclosed colon cancer. | Exactly what happens after he leaves office isn't clear, and reports about his health are treated like state secrets by the Zimbabwean government. On his 90th birthday, for example, a spokesperson had to deny reports that his frequent trips to Singapore were due to treatment for undisclosed colon cancer. |
| Asked how he was on Thursday, Mugabe himself dismissed the concern. "I am okay, it was just a slip," he said, according to the Zimbabwe Herald. |