Grace Mugabe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grace Mugabe
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Mugabe in 2013
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| First Lady of Zimbabwe | |
| In role 17 August 1996 – 21 November 2017 |
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| President | Robert Mugabe |
| Preceded by | Sally Mugabe |
| Succeeded by | Auxillia Mnangagwa |
| 6th Secretary of the ZANU–PF Women's League | |
| In office 6 December 2014 – December 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Oppah Muchinguri |
| Succeeded by | Mabel Chinomona |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Grace Ntombizodwa Marufu
23 July 1965 Benoni, South Africa |
| Political party | ZANU-PF (2014–2017, expelled) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 4, including Bona and Robert Mugabe Jr |
| Residence | Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Education | Renmin University of China University of Zimbabwe (disputed) |
| Occupation |
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| Nickname | Gucci Grace |
Grace Ntombizodwa Mugabe (born 23 July 1965) is a businesswoman and politician from Zimbabwe. She was the wife of the late President Robert Mugabe. Grace Mugabe served as the First Lady of Zimbabwe from 1996 until her husband left office in November 2017. She started as a secretary to Robert Mugabe. Later, she became a leader in the ruling ZANU–PF political party. She was known for her expensive tastes, which earned her the nickname "Gucci Grace." In 2014, New African magazine named her one of the Top 100 most influential Africans.
Contents
Grace Mugabe's Early Life
Grace Ntombizodwa was born in Benoni, South Africa. She was the fourth of five children. In 1970, she moved to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). She lived with her mother, Idah Marufu, in Chivhu. Her father stayed in South Africa to work and support the family. Grace went to primary school in Chivhu. She then attended Kriste Mambo secondary school in Manicaland.
Family and Education
Grace married air force pilot Stanley Goreraza. They had a son named Russell Goreraza in 1984. While working as a secretary, she met Robert Mugabe. She later married Robert Mugabe in 1996 after his first wife, Sally Hayfron, passed away. Their wedding was a large Catholic ceremony. At the time, Grace was 31 and Robert Mugabe was 72. They had two children together: Bona, born in 1988, and Chatunga Berlamine, born in 1997. Their son, Robert Mugabe Jr, was born in the early 1990s.
Grace Mugabe also studied at Renmin University of China in China. She started in 2007 and graduated in 2011. She studied the Chinese language. Her mother, Idah Marufu, passed away on 31 August 2018.
Grace Mugabe's Role in ZANU-PF
In late 2014, Grace Mugabe became more involved in politics. She spoke out against Vice-President Joice Mujuru. Mujuru was accused of plotting against President Mugabe. These accusations led to Mujuru losing her position in the ZANU-PF party.
Grace Mugabe's political power grew. She was chosen to lead the ZANU–PF Women's League. This also made her a member of the ZANU-PF Politburo. By 2016, she was a key figure in a political group called G40 (Generation 40). This group was involved in discussions about who would become president after Robert Mugabe.
Political Changes in 2017
Grace Mugabe had disagreements with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa. These disagreements became very public in late 2017. Mnangagwa lost his position as Vice-President in November 2017. Soon after, Grace Mugabe expressed interest in becoming Vice-President herself.
However, the military took action in Zimbabwe. This led to a change in leadership. Grace Mugabe was not seen publicly during this time. On 19 November 2017, Grace Mugabe and many of her political allies were removed from the ZANU-PF party. Robert Mugabe passed away on 6 September 2019 in Singapore.
International Sanctions
After the 2002 elections in Zimbabwe, the European Union placed restrictions on some Zimbabwean leaders. This happened because EU observers were not allowed to watch the elections. In July 2002, these restrictions were extended to include Grace Mugabe. The sanctions meant she could not travel to certain countries. They also froze any money or property she had in those countries. In 2003, the United States put similar restrictions in place.
See also
In Spanish: Grace Mugabe para niños
