The power of a First Lady - Zimbabwe Part II

In my previous post, “The power of a First Lady – Africa Part I”, Grace Mugabe was briefly discussed including her impact as a First Wife. Considering the appalling economic, political and social conditions Zimbabwe is facing it is only fair to dedicate a page on Grace’s contribution to this apology of a nation.

First Lady Grace Mugabe was President Mugabe’s secretary. She was married to Stanley Goreraza, a former air force pilot now working in the Zimbabwe Embassy in China. While married to Officer Goreraza, Grace became Mugabe’s mistress forcing her husband to divorce her. As a mistress to Mugabe, Grace was less influential than Sally, his first wife.

While Sally’s record spans the whole spectrum of economic and political development, Grace’s major contribution is that she bore Robert Mugabe children in his old age. As a younger woman than Sally, Grace has considerable influence over Mugabe and shamelessly manipulates him. This affair weakened Mugabe’s standing within his party ZANU-PF. The party’s Leadership Code, which has been used as a check and balance on its leader, was thrown out of the window due to Grace's influence. This resulted in a great corruption stampede by the party leadership in a rush for wealth.

It is clear that Grace had one goal, to out do Sally on her influence over Mugabe. This heinous craving had Grace reverse, without delay, everything Sally had worked so hard to build. The Reconciliation of 1980 was discarded and war-veterans who were a well-disciplined section of the Zimbabwean society began making obscene demands for payment for their contribution to the liberation of Zimbabwe. Without the Leadership Code, the voice of reason (Sally) and the ZANU-PF leaders overtly acquiring wealth illegally, Mugabe’s leadership position was too weak to put up a fight. He ended up paying out large sums of money to each veteran as a form of gratitude.

A free for all policy transformed the once bread basket of Southern Africa to one of the poorest countries in the world. Zimbabwe’s health and education systems that were once a marvel of the region have been completely destroyed beyond repair. The once independent and effective judicial system is now a joke and there is no rule of law. Half of the population is now living outside of Zimbabwe.

This is Mugabe’s Zimbabwe under Grace.