National

Bona Mugabe owns Dubai mansion, court papers allege

Published

2 years ago

May 4, 2023

BY SHINGAI NYOKA

Divorce court papers seen by the BBC allege that the daughter of Zimbabwe’s ex-president Robert Mugabe owned 25 residential properties, including a Dubai mansion, worth a total of around US$80 million.

Bona Mugabe filed for divorce from former pilot Simba Mutsahuni Chikore in March.

Chikore wants to split their assets, which also include 21 farms, he says.

Mugabe has not yet commented on the claims but will be able to do so.

A source close to the Mugabe family told the BBC that the former president had nothing in his name when he died, although he received US10 million from the state as part of his pension.

The source also questioned whether Bona Mugabe owned all the assets listed by her former partner.

However, Zimbabweans have reacted with shock and outrage to the extent of the wealth allegedly accumulated by just one of Mr Mugabe’s children.

Luxury vehicles, farming equipment and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash were also mentioned in the divorce papers.

Some of the 21 farms were allegedly acquired by the Mugabe family during the contentious takeover of white-owned farms in the early 2000s, and despite the government’s policy of “one-man one-farm”.

Chikore, who is also demanding joint custody of the couple’s three children, says the assets were acquired solely and jointly during their marriage, through inheritance and donations from the late president for work carried out on his behalf.

He adds that the assets he has listed are a drop in the ocean, compared to the wealth Mugabe owns outright.

In response, George Charamba, who was Mugabe’s spokesman and now serves in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office, denied that the couple owned 21 farms.

“All Agricultural Land belongs to the State, with farmers using it on LEASE BASIS,” he tweeted.

He added that no-one should “build any politics or arguments around so-called 21 farms allegedly owned by Cde Bona and her estranged hubby”.

It is unclear when the divorce case – being heard by a court in the capital, Harare – will end.

Mugabe and Chikore were married at a lavish wedding in 2014 that was attended by several African heads of state – and was broadcast live on state television.

Robert Mugabe died in 2019 at the age of 95, reportedly without leaving a will.

He is survived by his wife Grace, Bona, two sons and a step-son.

He was in power in Zimbabwe from the time of independence in 1980 until he was ousted in 2017 by Mnangagwa, his former ally-turned-rival. – BBC

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

5 days ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

3 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.