He is a grandfather aged 90 and is the current president of Zimbabwe who may be needing the services of the clutches to move as he can barely walk without help.

Robert Mugabe, who is the oldest African president and of a controversial judgement and policy making decisions who said to have tumbled on the terrace as he made for his official limousine after coming in from Ethopia.

The president missed a step and grappled for support only to be assisted by the security agents to the waiting car. He was with his supporters at the Harare International Airport when he fell down the stairs after addressing them.

Curious photo-journalists at the scene were asked to delete pictures of the tumbling president taken.

Mugabe became Chairman of the African Union (AU) at the summit of African leaders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He celebrates his 91st birthday, February 21 2015.

His spokesman is yet comment.