Dethroned Mugabe Goes Into Hibernation

Former president Robert Mugabe has retreated from his grand public life often characterised by first-class privileges of armed security escorts and helicopter jaunts across the country.

Since his ouster in a military coup last year in November, Mugabe has remained behind the scenes, mostly at his Blue Roof mansion in Borrowdale Brooke. However, reports indicate Mugabe has been out of the country, in Singapore, for at least over a month.

For the folk at Kutama — Mugabe’s rural homestead situated about 100 kilometres west of Harare — the whirring sirens that signalled the veteran leader’s frequent visits to Zvimba are no more.

Some of the villagers are now wondering if the nonagenarian still visits his rural home at all.

“We no longer know whether he is here or not because he no longer has that long motorcade and the security agents and soldiers that were always part of his entourage. I am sure if he comes, he slips in quietly,” said a saleslady at the shops adjacent to Mugabe’s vast yard.

Measuring over 200 000 square metres as seen online on Google Maps, Mugabe’s homestead is more of an empire. It has the main mansion, an array of several houses, chicken runs and a plot that is used for market gardening and other agricultural activities.

According to locals, security has slackened after government withdrew state security services from the homestead.

“Pave nemaguard erhekeni, saka hapachanetse kusvika mazuvano (The place is now manned by simple guards armed only with catapults, so it is now easy to get there),” said Martin, a local villager.

With Mugabe appearing to have cared a lot about his security, a small police post was set up right across Mugabe’s homestead.

Interestingly, Mugabe appears to be a spirited entrepreneur whose homestead supplies milk, eggs, and meat to locals.