Paul Nyathi|President Mnangagwa yesterday rushed in to dispel Zanu PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu’ s obvious untimely declaration that the party will repossess properties registered under the party but belonged to the late former President Robert Mugabe including the magnificent Blue-roof Mansion.
Mpofu prematurely announced that the properties would be turned into museums to fund raise for the party certainly without Mnangagwa’s authorisation.
Sensing a nationwide furore on the move, Mnangagwa immediately issued a statement dispelling Mpofu’s threats. Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF, was determined to transfer the title deeds of the imposing Blue Roof mansion in Borrowdale and a Mount Pleasant property to the late former President Robert Mugabe’s family.
President Mnangagwa set the record straight.
“I was in a meeting with President Mnangagwa today (yesterday), who advised me that the party will transfer title deeds of the two properties to the family as promised.
“Nothing has changed on party’s commitment to transfer the two properties,” said Dr Mpofu.
Mugabe, who died on September 6 in Singapore, was declared a national hero by Zanu-PF but his family indicated that he wished to be buried in Kutama, Zvimba, in Mashonaland West Province. He was buried on Saturday.
Recently, the Mugabe family spokesperson Leo Mugabe confirmed that Zimbabwe’s late founding father did not own both the Blue Roof mansion and the Mount Pleasant house occupied by Mrs Bona Mugabe-Chikore.
“The issue of properties is being handled by the President. He is handling the issue to ensure the family is safe. I was told by President Mnangagwa that the party will help to transfer the title deeds of the properties to the former President’s family,” he said.
Mr Mugabe said Zanu-PF owned the land on which the two houses were constructed.
“It’s so funny (that) the party (Zanu-PF) is the one that bought the first house in Mt Pleasant and the land for the Blue Roof property. It leaves the former President Mugabe without a house in Harare,” he said.
Dr Mpofu said they were doing the paperwork to transfer the properties to the Mugabe family.