Adios, Grace, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

I’ll be honest, I’ve taken quite a bit of pleasure in watching Grace and Bob looking rather downtrodden.

First there was the picture taken moments before Bob signed his resignation letter (HERE), and then there was the pair watching the inauguration of new president Emmerson Mnangagwa (HERE).

Shem.

Of course a new president means a new first lady, and that would be Auxilia Mnangagwa.

eNCA with five things that we might want to know about her:

Wife number two or three?

There are conflicting reports about whether she is President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s second or third wife. During his inauguration speech, the president acknowledged their marriage of 31 years. However, reports state she only emerged as his spouse after his first wife died of cancer in 2000.

Work in government

Auxilia Mnangagwa has extensive experience working for the Zimbabwean government. After finishing secretarial studies, she joined the Ministry of Manpower and Development in 1981. She joined the Prime Minister’s office in 1992 and also worked in Zanu-PF’s finance department.

She was a spy

The first lady worked at the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) between 1992 and 1997. There have been some unconfirmed reports that she was deployed by Robert Mugabe to monitor her husband’s movements.

She has her own political ambitions

Auxilia Mnangagwa submitted her name to represent Zanu-PF in Mazowe Central where she was born, but her submission was declined. However, she was elected an MP in 2015.

She’s a philanthropist

The first lady’s charitable work has a focus on the upliftment of women. She helped establish women’s banks in several areas of the country’s Midlands.

Plenty to read into there, but she’s still doing better than Emmerson with that backstory (HERE).

I guess only time will tell, but the bar for Zimbabwean first lady has been set pretty low.

[source:enca]