PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe appears to be using his wife Grace as his unofficial walking aide as age catches up with the 93-year-old veteran ruler.

Arriving from New York on Monday, Mugabe held tightly to his wife’s hand, as he came down the stairs of an Air Zimbabwe plane.

He would not let go of his wife’s hand until finding his seat at the high table in preparation to address thousands of Zanu PF supporters bussed in to welcome him from the United Nations.

A Zanu PF supporter, who was asked to pray before the event by Harare provincial commissar, Shadreck Mashayamombe unwittingly let the cat out of the bag in her prayer.

“Dear Lord, bless our First Lady Dr Amai Grace Mugabe, she is our President’s walking aide, supporting our President,” she said.

Due to old age Mugabe, who is Zanu PF’s 2018 presidential candidate, has been filmed walking gingerly at international fora.