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Patrick Chitumba and Sifundiso Ndlovu Chronicle Reporters
PROMINENT Bulawayo businessman Joe Chiyangwa has been shot in unclear circumstances and was last night recovering from injuries to his left leg at Mater Dei Hospital.
Chiyangwa, the Zanu-PF Bulawayo Central District chairperson who also runs a security company in the city, was admitted on Tuesday evening after he was found lying in a pool of blood outside his Burnside home.

The Chronicle newscrew visited Chiyangwa at the health institution and found him lying in his hospital bed in the company of his wife.
His legs were in a case and covered with a blanket.

Sources at the hospital said he had a “fracture of the fibula and tibia bones on the left leg”.

The tibia is the inner long bone of the leg, the shinbone, while the fibula is the outer and thinner bone of the human leg.

“He was admitted yesterday (Tuesday) after he was brought here with a gunshot wound on his left leg. The fracture is a bit serious and that is why it needs external fixation,” said a source at the institution.

Chiyangwa, whose right leg was amputated from the knee years ago, however, was at pains to divulge his ailment and claimed that he had been admitted because he was suffering from a bout of flu.

“I am here because I have flu. Otherwise I am very fine as you can see,” he chuckled.

His wife said she was in the dark over what had transpired as she had just arrived at the hospital to see him before referring the Chronicle to the family spokesperson Shadreck Makombe.

Although, Chiyangwa had claimed that he had “flue”, Makombe said the police were investigating the “matter”, but refused to disclose more details.

“The police are on it and I can’t tell you anything. Please call me tomorrow and we will tell you what really transpired,” he said.

However, there are conflicting reports on what exactly transpired as sources close to the family gave differing accounts of events. Some said Chiyangwa was shot by unknown assailants outside his Burnside home.

“We understand that he had a scuffle with some people we do not know and the gun accidentally discharged. He was shot on the left leg in the process. He was found lying in a pool of blood by relatives,” said the source.

Others said he has problems with his businesses – the reason which might have driven him to attempt suicide.

“He was having problems with his business lately and there are suspicious that the weapon accidentally discharged while he was cleaning it in preparation to commit suicide,” said another source.