The amazing photo that Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe doesn't want you to see
Mugabe is enjoying a brief moment of internet fame this week. On Wednesday, he tripped and fell on a red carpet while leaving an event. That would probably not be news if his his aides hadn't launched a series of desperate attempts to destroy all record of the nonagenarian leader's stumble. But their efforts failed, drawing the world's attention to the above photograph, which Robert Mugabe really, really doesn't want you to look at.
Just to be clear, the photo he doesn't want you to see is this photo, right here:
Stop. Hammertime. #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/93CSfk1YWW
— Hannah Gais (@hannahgais) February 5, 2015
Repeat, Mugabe would strongly prefer that you not look at this image.
As you can see from the above images, from which Mugabe demands you avert your eyes posthaste, the 90-year-old Zimbabwean president caught his foot on a wrinkle of red carpet and plunged to the ground, right in front of a crew of photographers.
It wasn't a fall, it was a bounce
His security officers tried to force journalists to delete footage of the presidential mishap, but they were unsuccessful. Photos and videos of the fall hit the internet within hoursUndeterred, Mugabe's supporters immediately began a series of humorously desperate attempts to deny the story.
Information Minister Jonathan Moyo denied the fall had ever occurred, claiming that the president had "tripped," but "remarkably managed to break the fall on his own. I repeat that the president managed to break the fall." Sure, Jonathan. Sure.
Mugabe's party Zanu-PF claimed that the President was just "doing a bounce (like the kids do)." Okay.
When the "bounce" story failed to take hold, Moyo tried a different tack, claiming that "EVEN JESUS would have tripped." Oh, well then!
Just to be clear, the photo he doesn't want you to see is this photo, right here:
Stop. Hammertime. #MugabeFalls pic.twitter.com/93CSfk1YWW
— Hannah Gais (@hannahgais) February 5, 2015
Repeat, Mugabe would strongly prefer that you not look at this image.
As you can see from the above images, from which Mugabe demands you avert your eyes posthaste, the 90-year-old Zimbabwean president caught his foot on a wrinkle of red carpet and plunged to the ground, right in front of a crew of photographers.
It wasn't a fall, it was a bounce
His security officers tried to force journalists to delete footage of the presidential mishap, but they were unsuccessful. Photos and videos of the fall hit the internet within hoursUndeterred, Mugabe's supporters immediately began a series of humorously desperate attempts to deny the story.
Information Minister Jonathan Moyo denied the fall had ever occurred, claiming that the president had "tripped," but "remarkably managed to break the fall on his own. I repeat that the president managed to break the fall." Sure, Jonathan. Sure.
Mugabe's party Zanu-PF claimed that the President was just "doing a bounce (like the kids do)." Okay.
When the "bounce" story failed to take hold, Moyo tried a different tack, claiming that "EVEN JESUS would have tripped." Oh, well then!