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Grace Mugabe's farm invaded by Zimbabwe gold diggers | Grace Mugabe's farm invaded by Zimbabwe gold diggers |
(35 minutes later) | |
Illegal workers have invaded the farm of former Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe to mine for gold. | Illegal workers have invaded the farm of former Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe to mine for gold. |
Reporters from the Zimbabwean newspaper Newsday found them uprooting lemon trees, digging shafts and loading gold ore into lorries. | Reporters from the Zimbabwean newspaper Newsday found them uprooting lemon trees, digging shafts and loading gold ore into lorries. |
After unsuccessfully confronting them on Thursday, Mrs Mugabe reported the matter to the police. | After unsuccessfully confronting them on Thursday, Mrs Mugabe reported the matter to the police. |
The farm is in Mazowe, where she had forcefully evicted villagers in 2015 - while her husband was still in power. | The farm is in Mazowe, where she had forcefully evicted villagers in 2015 - while her husband was still in power. |
Mrs Mugabe said in a statement to the police obtained by the New Zimbabwe website that she was touring the farm when she was "shocked to find approximately 400 men illegally panning for gold". | Mrs Mugabe said in a statement to the police obtained by the New Zimbabwe website that she was touring the farm when she was "shocked to find approximately 400 men illegally panning for gold". |
When she confronted them at the farm, some 40km (25 miles) north of Harare, she said they "started to shout obscenities at me and continued with their unlawful activities". | |
Newsday reports that one worker shouted at her: | Newsday reports that one worker shouted at her: |
"You no longer have any power to remove us. This is the new dispensation, we do what we want". | "You no longer have any power to remove us. This is the new dispensation, we do what we want". |
Last year Mrs Mugabe was widely reported to be preparing to replace her aging husband as president of Zimbabwe. | Last year Mrs Mugabe was widely reported to be preparing to replace her aging husband as president of Zimbabwe. |
But the rumours were not welcomed by parts of the ruling party and he was ousted from office in November, to be replaced by his long-time ally Emmerson Mnangagwa. | But the rumours were not welcomed by parts of the ruling party and he was ousted from office in November, to be replaced by his long-time ally Emmerson Mnangagwa. |
The life of Grace Mugabe | The life of Grace Mugabe |
The polarising Grace Mugabe | The polarising Grace Mugabe |
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