2. President Peter Mutharika (Malawi)
In 2016, President Peter Mutharika of Malawi was absent from the country for weeks, leaving the door open to wild speculations about his death as his aides provided no specific information about his whereabouts.
On his return to the country, 76-year-old Mutharika admitted at a press briefing that he had been away in a U.S. hospital to treat rheumatism, a muscle and joint condition that is often chronic and debilitating in older sufferers.
Mr. Mutharika, who is rumored to be seeking re-election, however, insisted that he is in excellent health, adding that he is as healthy as any 30-year-old.