Source: Crackdown on Mugabe escalates – The Zimbabwe Independent March 16, 2018
SCORES of workers at former president Robert Mugabe’s vast Zvimba homestead and Highfield farm in Norton who were being paid by government have been relieved of their duties by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
By Tinashe Kairiza
Mugabe lost power in November after a military intervention, widely seen as a coup.
Shortly after his inauguration, Mnangagwa swiftly whittled down Mugabe’s security personnel before the government let go of the bulk of his domestic workers. Government also recalled former first lady Grace Mugabe’s security personnel.
A significant number of the affected workers at Mugabe’s Zvimba residence were his relatives.
“A number of workers at Mugabe’s home in Zvimba who were being paid by government were fired from their jobs. Most of them stay in Zvimba,” an official close to developments said.
“The same applies to labourers at his Highfield farm. They were also fired from their jobs.”
Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Ray Ndhukula refused to comment saying: “The best person to comment on that matter would be the former president.”
Relations between Mugabe and Mnangagwa have been sour since their fall out over succession issues which were ultimately settled through a military intervention, which toppled the former president and catapulted his erstwhile confidante into power.
Mugabe last month told African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat that the Mnangagwa government was illegal and the AU should help to “restore normalcy and democracy in Zimbabwe”.
Mugabe’s association with the newly formed National Patriotic Front led by Retired Brigadier-General Ambrose Mutinhiri has also infuriated Mnangagwa, the government and Zanu PF, setting the stage for a political showdown.
Military personnel rounded up “Blue Roof” staff last week, including the mansion’s comptroller Funny Mpofu, who is basically the chief security guard, to quiz them on the visitors Mugabe has been receiving and the agenda of their meetings.
COMMENTS
Surely, why would taxpayers have to pay for a president’s farm workers? Where on earth is that kind of thing considered normal?
Is it not high time the Mnangagwa regime allowed the law to take its course & have Mugabe charged of such gross abuse of office resources. Surely, a former president who literally converted the country to his personal farm; and abused state resources left, right & centre, during his autocratic reign of terror, cannot just be allowed to go scot-free and keep on enjoying his ill-gotten wealth. Earnestly, where is natural justice if cruel & greedy former leaders like Mugabe are allowed to go scot-free?
ED’s strategy might be to let RGM expose himself till the elections are over. Once he is legitimately in power he can deal with RGM and his wife knowing there will be no political repercussions. This guy is a crocodile, he waited for 37 yrs so 5 mths is nothing!
Can you imagine if Donald Trump’s hotel employees were paid by the Government? The corruption of Mugabe is unparalleled. He used the country’s coffers as his personal piggy bank. No wonder that Zimbabwe was destroyed. The thug, thief and murderer should be dangling from a rope or at least be in prison. But no, in Zimbabwe he is an ‘icon’. Something totally insane about the African mindset.