Mnangagwa Reveals How He Reduced Mugabe's Singapore Entourage From 38 To 22

In an interview with The Financial Times, President Emmerson Mnangagwa revealed how he reduced his predecessor, Robert Mugabe’s entourage to Singapore from a health checkup from 38 to 22.

He said after he had received Mugabe’s request for a plane to Singapore he called back to query the number of people to travel with his former leader. Said Mnangagwa:

I phoned back and said: ‘Chef, you are going for a medical check-up. Why do you want 38 people?’  “He said: ‘Emmerson, I don’t know that list. I know it’s myself, my wife and my family.’ “I said: ‘No . . . You know the new dispensation . . . it’s a leaner cabinet. That can’t be understood if you are going to go for a medical check-up with a big number.’ “He says: ‘Emmerson.’ ”“He never says Mr President. He just calls me Emmerson.

More: Financial Times