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Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, has, for the first time, commented on his airport stumble, images of which spread like wildfire online as internet users light-heartedly mocked the 91 year-old strong-man.

Mugabe said simply: “I would want to see a person who hasn’t fallen down.

“I don’t see the reason why anyone should be surprised that the president has fallen.” Mugabe missed a step as he walked off a podium at Harare International Airport where he was addressing supporters after returning from African Union Summit in Ethiopia, where he was elected the Union’s chairman.

Aides quickly helped him up and escorted him to his limousine. But his comments on the incident contrast with his information minister Jonathan Moyo who claimed that Mugabe broke the fall.

“He remarkably managed to break the fall. I repeat, the President managed to break the fall,” said Moyo at the time. Some local journalists claimed they were forced to delete photos of the incident from their cameras by security agents at the scene.

But some of the images got out and spread online. Soon the internet was collectively having a laugh at the expense of the fallen leader.

Social media users couldn’t resist snipping Mugabe out of the image and placing him in an array of different unexpected scenarios which included surfing a perfect wave, riding a horse and running from an officer wielding a stick.

But in an interview with state television, Mugabe said it was not the first time he had fallen.

“In the house you slip, your foot is held by a carpet that is misplaced and so on, or you hit it against something and you tumble,” he said.

The Zanu PF leader also said one of his secrets to a long life was “not filling my stomach”.

“I do certain things that I believe sustain life,” he said.

“I eat well, not filling my stomach, eating foodstuffs that I believe sustain one most.

“You must eat well, and really not go for food because it’s attractive and feed yourself until your tummy is full.”