By A correspondent-Zanu PF spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa and his wife, Monica , made a surprise appearance at former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s 60th birthday party held privately in Harare on Saturday, raising eyebrows given the pair’s acrimonious political history The intimate but high-profile gathering was attended by an eclectic mix of elites, including Second Lady Miniyothabo “Minnie” Baloyi, wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga; Elizabeth Macheka, widow of the late opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai; and Grace’s brother, former Zanu PF Political Commissar Mike Bimha and his wife, Tsitsi But it was the presence of Chris Mutsvangwa — a man who played a central role in the political downfall of Grace and her G40 faction — that stirred the most interest In the tense years leading up to the November 2017 military coup that ousted Robert Mugabe, Mutsvangwa became one of the most vocal and aggressive public critics of Grace Mugabe
Then serving as war veterans’ leader and a senior Zanu PF figure, he accused her of overreaching, destabilizing the party, and seeking dynastic power His rhetoric was often inflammatory, branding Grace and her allies as a “cabal of usurpers” attempting to hijack the liberation legacy for personal gain Grace, then at the height of her political influence, had increasingly positioned herself as a potential successor to her aging husband, sidelining and publicly ridiculing then-Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa The bitter power struggle between her G40 faction and the military-aligned Lacoste faction — backed by Mutsvangwa — ultimately culminated in the military intervention that ended Mugabe’s 37-year rule
In the post-coup era, Mutsvangwa continued to disparage Grace, dismissing her as a symbol of the excess and impunity that had tarnished Zanu PF’s image Against this backdrop, his attendance at her birthday celebration has been widely interpreted as either a symbolic gesture of political reconciliation or, at the very least, a sign of shifting dynamics within the elite power networks Grace Mugabe — famously dubbed “Gucci Grace” for her extravagant lifestyle — has kept a low profile since the coup, retreating to her family’s rural stronghold and avoiding the limelight Her fall from grace included legal wrangles over property, international criticism for alleged abuses, and a sharp public backlash at home
Saturday’s gathering, however, marks her most significant public reappearance in recent years That it included both longtime allies and former adversaries suggests that Zimbabwe’s post-Mugabe elite are beginning to close ranks — or at least blur past lines of enmity — as new political realities emerge While Grace Mugabe has made no public political statements since the event, her re-engagement with figures from across the political divide hints at unfinished ambitions — or a strategic return to visibility Source: Zimeye
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Source: Zimeye
