Robert Mugabe is receiving medical attention after being beaten up by his wife in public

ZIMBABWE's President Robert Mugabe is reported to be receiving medical attention after being severely beaten up in public by his fiery tempered wife Grace who is 40 years younger than him.

 

Now Africa's oldest ruler, President Mugabe turned 92 this year and of late there has been a lot of concern about his failing health. He is married to Grace, 50, a former television broadcaster, who is currently the head of the ruling party Zanu-PF's Women's League and is regarded as the front runner to succeed her husband.

 

However, of late, the couple have been fighting a lot and there are reports that Grace regularly beats up her husband both privately and publicly. Innocent Matibiri, Zimbabwe's police deputy commissioner-general and a close relative of President Mugabe is being blamed for failing to protect the dictator from the wrath of Grace.

 

Over the weekend, footage emerged of an incident showing Grace slapping her husband in a fit of rage. In the short Youtube video clip, Mr Matibiri, rushed in and tried to calm the situation, telling Grace that if she wants to fight her husband she must do it in their bedroom, not in public.

 

However, Mrs Mugabe then descended on him and slapped Mr Matibiri hard in the face before turning back on the president. Apparently, the beating left President Mugabe and his aides shell-shocked, who are now unable to control the first lady.

 

Mrs Mugabe had previously declared that she will not follow protocol because she is superior to all of her husband's aides by virtue of being their boss’s wife. She has also publicly said that she is the person most entitled to succeed her husband as president.