Zimbabweans have mixed emotions about the late former President Robert Mugabe’s legacy and how he will be remembered, but most people in the country despise his wife, Grace Mugabe.
The unpopular 54-year-old faces an uncertain future following her husband’s death. Some of the politicians she targeted in years past are now in power.
Mugabe, considered to be the father of Zimbabwe independence, died on Sep. 6 in a Singapore hospital. He had been receiving treatment for an unconfirmed illness since April.
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Mugabe was in power for 37 years before he was forced to step down by the military in November 2017 following nationwide mass protests.
The catalyst for that military takeover was Grace’s growing political influence and plan to succeed her husband.
This did not sit well with politicians who had close ties to the military including current President Emmerson Mnangagwa, formerly Mugabe’s right-hand man.
In 2014, shielded by her husband’s power and support, Grace made her political ambitions known. She started an aggressive campaign against all who could potentially stand in the way of her taking over from her husband, according to CNN.
One of those she targeted was Mnangagwa. Now, without her late husband at her side, she is exposed and the people she previously attacked and humiliated as her political enemies occupy the seats of power in the country.
Since taking office in 2017, Mnangagwa initiated an anti-corruption commission that has seen several former Mugabe loyalists face investigations.
It would not be surprising to see Mrs. Mugabe summoned and investigated for the origins of her personal wealth, according to TheSun. She reportedly has more than $100 million in the bank, procured from state funds.
Leaked diplomatic cables estimated the Mugabe family wealth at more than $1 billion, including six residences and several farms around the country.
The former first lady has been in Singapore, fearful of returning home in case she is arrested on corruption charges related to state funds. She has been told by officials that she will not be arrested if she returns for her husband’s funeral, according to the DailyMail.
Robert and Grace married in 1996, four years after his first wife, Sally, had died. Even while Sally was alive, the president had two children secretly with Grace and another after they married.
The former first lady became known as “Gucci Grace” because of her lavish shopping trips in Europe and expensive taste.
Many associate President Mugabe’s falling reputation with Grace’s influence.
Her oblivious spending took place at a time when most Zimbabweans were struggling financially and hyperinflation destroyed the economy.
