(Mon Apr 23, 2012, ADDIS ABABA (Reuters)--Eritrea
has sought to quash speculation about President Isaias Afewerki's
health, saying he was "fit as a fiddle" and lambasting the United States
for spreading "lies" over his condition.
Rumours have been rife in the past few years that Isaias, 66 and
in power since 1993 after leading his country to independence from
Ethiopia, was in poor health and required regular trips abroad for
treatment.
Speculation about his health has stirred up debate over who might
eventually replace the reclusive leader. Isaias has no obvious
successor but the opposition says he might be grooming his son, Abraham,
for the top job.
U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks have also mentioned
the possibility of the military elite trying to take over power in the
Red Sea state. Eritrea refuted speculation about his health late on Sunday in a
special announcement aired by the information ministry on state
television and later broadcast on the Internet.
"There has been widespread speculation in the past few weeks that
President Isaias has fallen seriously ill," the broadcast said. "We would like to announce that President Isaias is fit as a
fiddle and is in the best of health under all criteria," it added in
remarks translated from the Tigrinya language. Read more from Reuters »
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