Blue Roof

Last updated

Blue Roof
Blue Roof
General information
Type Official residence
Architectural style Chinese
Town or city Borrowdale, Harare
Country Zimbabwe
Coordinates 17°43′12″S31°09′03″E / 17.72000°S 31.15083°E / -17.72000; 31.15083 Coordinates: 17°43′12″S31°09′03″E / 17.72000°S 31.15083°E / -17.72000; 31.15083
Completed2006
Cost£30 million
OwnerMugabe family

Blue Roof is the common name given to a mansion and former presidential palace in the suburb of Borrowdale in Harare, Zimbabwe. It was built in 2006 by the ZANU-PF political party as a family home for the then President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe. Following his death, ownership was transferred to the Mugabe family.

History

Robert Mugabe had been the Prime Minister and later President of Zimbabwe following its independence from the United Kingdom and reconstitution from the unrecognised Rhodesia. Previously he had occupied Zimbabwe House as Prime Minister and later State House as President with both being in Harare. Mugabe claimed plans were made in 1986 to build a new presidential palace for his family. In 2003, ZANU-PF signed a contract with a Yugoslavian firm to build it providing the Zimbabweans provided the materials. [1] Mugabe claimed the construction was funded by donations from China and Malaysia as well as other countries. [1] [2] The Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad donated RM100,000 worth of Malaysian timber for the construction. [3] The total cost was estimated to be around £3 million and it took three years to build. [4] [5] It gained the nickname of "Blue Roof" due to the blue coloured tiles from Shanghai, China used on the roof. [6]

In 2006, in preparation for the end of construction, Mugabe ordered a number of measures were put in. Owners of properties surrounding the palace were sent letters saying they faced eviction from their homes due to them being within a security area. [7] Critics alleged that was because Mugabe did not want people living near him. [8] Access to foot and vehicular traffic would also be restricted similar to the measures Mugabe had put in around State House. [5]

Following the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état which removed Mugabe from office, he was placed under house arrest at Blue Roof by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. [9] Following Mugabe's death in 2019, his body lay in state at Blue Roof. [10] Afterwards there was doubt as to who owned the mansion. [11] ZANU-PF claimed they owned it and hired a lawyer to ensure it was not listed as part of Mugabe's estate. [12] [13] Despite reports it would become a museum, ZANU-PF announced they were handing it over to Mugabe's family to help ensure their security. [14]

Related Research Articles

Until roughly 2,000 years ago, what would become Zimbabwe was populated by ancestors of the San people. Bantu inhabitants of the region arrived and developed ceramic production in the area. A series of trading empires emerged, including the Kingdom of Mapungubwe and Kingdom of Zimbabwe. In the 1880s, the British South Africa Company began its activities in the region, leading to the colonial era in Southern Rhodesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZANU–PF</span> Ruling political party of Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) is a political organisation which has been the ruling party of Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. The party was led for many years under Robert Mugabe, first as prime minister with the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and then as president from 1987 after the merger with the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) and retaining the name ZANU–PF, until 2017, when he was removed as leader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ndabaningi Sithole</span> Zimbabwean revolutionary, founder of ZANU (1920–2000)

Ndabaningi Sithole founded the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), a militant organisation that opposed the government of Rhodesia, in July 1963. Sithole was a progeny of a Ndau father and a Ndebele mother. He also worked as a United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (UCCZ) minister. He spent 10 years in prison after the government banned ZANU. A rift along tribal lines split ZANU in 1975, and he lost the 1980 elections to Robert Mugabe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joice Mujuru</span> Zimbabwean politician

Joice Runaida Mujuru, also known by her nom-de-guerre Teurai Ropa Nhongo, is a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Vice-President of Zimbabwe from 2004 to 2014. Previously she had served as a government minister. She also served as Vice-President of ZANU–PF. She was married to Solomon Mujuru until his death in 2011 and was long considered a potential successor to President Robert Mugabe, but in 2014 she was denounced for allegedly plotting against Mugabe. As a result of the accusations against her, Mujuru lost both her post as Vice-President and her position in the party leadership. She was expelled from the party a few months later, after which she formed the new Zimbabwe People First party.

Jonathan Nathaniel Mlevu Moyo is a Zimbabwean politician who served in the government of Zimbabwe as Minister of Higher Education from 2015 to 2017. He was previously Minister of Information and Publicity from 2000 to 2005 and again from 2013 to 2015. He was elected to the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe as an independent candidate in 2005 and 2008. He is considered the core architect of the AIPPA and POSA restrictive legislation.

Operation Murambatsvina, also officially known as Operation Restore Order, was a large-scale Zimbabwean government campaign to forcibly clear slum areas across the country. The campaign started in 2005 and according to United Nations estimates has affected at least 700,000 people directly through loss of their homes or livelihood and thus could have indirectly affected around 2.4 million people. Robert Mugabe and other government officials characterised the operation as a crackdown against illegal housing and commercial activities, and as an effort to reduce the risk of the spread of infectious disease in these areas.

Joram Macdonald Gumbo is a Zimbabwean politician, member of parliament, former member of the Pan-African Parliament from Zimbabwe, and former cabinet minister. He is a member of the Zanu-PF party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmerson Mnangagwa</span> President of Zimbabwe since 2017

Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is a Zimbabwean politician who has served as President of Zimbabwe since 24 November 2017. A member of ZANU–PF and a longtime ally of former President Robert Mugabe, he held a series of cabinet portfolios and was Mugabe's Vice-President until November 2017, when he was dismissed before coming to power in a coup d'état. He secured his first full term as president in the disputed 2018 general election.

Patrick Antony Chinamasa is a Zimbabwean politician who served in the government of Zimbabwe as the minister of various cabinet ministries. Previously he served as the Minister of Finance and Investment Promotion and the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

Zimbabwe began experiencing a period of considerable political and economic upheaval in 1999. Opposition to President Mugabe and the ZANU-PF government grew considerably after the mid-1990s in part due to worsening economic and human rights conditions. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was established in September 1999 as an opposition party founded by trade unionist Morgan Tsvangirai.

John Landa Nkomo, was a Zimbabwean politician who served as Vice-President of Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2013. After serving for years as a minister in the government of Zimbabwe, he was the Speaker of Parliament from 2005 to 2008. He was then appointed to the Senate in 2008 and was Minister of State in the President's Office in 2009. Nkomo was also a key figure in the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF); he was National Chairman of ZANU–PF until December 2009, when he was elected as Vice President of ZANU–PF. As a consequence of his elevation to the party's vice presidency, he also became Vice President of Zimbabwe in December 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Mugabe</span> President of Zimbabwe from 1987 to 2017

Robert Gabriel Mugabe was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) from 1975 to 1980 and led its successor political party, the ZANU – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF), from 1980 to 2017. Ideologically an African nationalist, during the 1970s and 1980s he identified as a Marxist–Leninist, and as a socialist after the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grace Mugabe</span> Former First lady of Zimbabwe; wife of Robert Mugabe

Grace Ntombizodwa Mugabe is a Zimbabwean entrepreneur, politician and the widow of the late President Robert Mugabe. She served as the First Lady of Zimbabwe from 1996 until her husband's resignation in November 2017, a week after he was ousted from power. Starting as a secretary to Mugabe, she rose in the ranks of the ruling ZANU–PF party to become the head of its Women's League and a key figure in the Generation 40 faction. At the same time, she gained a reputation for privilege and extravagance during a period of economic turmoil in the country. She was given the nickname Gucci Grace due to her extravagance. She was expelled from the party, with other G40 members, during the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008–2009 Zimbabwean political negotiations</span>

The 2008–2009 Zimbabwean political negotiations between the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, its small splinter group, the Movement for Democratic Change – Mutambara, and the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front were intended to negotiate an end to the partisan violence and human rights violations in Zimbabwe and create a framework for a power-sharing executive government between the two parties. These negotiations followed the 2008 presidential election, in which Mugabe was controversially re-elected, as well as the 2008 parliamentary election, in which the MDC won a majority in the House of Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constantino Chiwenga</span> Vice-President of Zimbabwe

Constantino Chiwenga, is a Zimbabwean politician and former army general currently serving, since 2017, as the First Vice-President of Zimbabwe under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In August 2020, he added the Health Ministry to his portfolio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Zimbabwe</span> Head of state and of government in Zimbabwe

The president of Zimbabwe is the head of state of Zimbabwe and head of the executive branch of the government of Zimbabwe. The president chairs the national cabinet and is the chief commanding authority of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état</span> Military overthrow of President Robert Mugabe

In November 2017, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was removed as president and party leader of ZANU-PF and was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Jason Zhuwao is a Zimbabwean politician. He is a former ZANU–PF Director for Youth Affairs and son of former Minister of Youth Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Patrick Zhuwao and nephew to former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe. Zhuwao served under his father's ministry youth advisory board and held different government and ZANU PF portfolios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Gara</span> Zimbabwean politician

Oriah Anthony Gara was a Zimbabwean businessman and politician. He was a member of the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe for Mbare East from 1990 to 2000 and served as deputy minister of local government, rural and urban development from 1995 until 2000. Before entering Parliament, he was a member of the Harare City Council and served as mayor of Harare from 1985 to 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squatting in Zimbabwe</span>

Squatting in Zimbabwe is the settlement of land or buildings without the permission of the owner. Squatting began under colonialism. After Zimbabwe was created in 1980, peasant farmers and squatters disputed the distribution of land. Informal settlements have developed on the periphery of cities such as Chitungwiza and the capital Harare. In 2005, Operation Murambatsvina evicted an estimated 700,000 people.

References

  1. 1 2 Ramsay, Stuart (7 September 2019). "Mugabe dead at 95 : The day I got under his skin". Sky News. Event occurs at 21:45. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "Malaysia probes Mugabe donation". The Zimbabwe Independent. 11 March 2005. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "The time Mahathir gifted Mugabe timber". Malaysiakini.com. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  4. ↑ Simbanda, Kay (2008). Zimbabwe: the Sorry State. Independent Publishing Platform. p. 106. ISBN   978-1438201573.
  5. 1 2 "Mugabe's mansion sealed off". The Zimbabwe Independent. 24 March 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "10 photos from President Mugabe's mansion, Zimbabwe". The Zimbabwean. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "BTH: A look at Mugabe's palace and why he wants to evict his neighbours". South West Radio Africa. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  8. ↑ Thorneycroft, Peta (20 January 2006). "Now aristocrats will be evicted for living too close to Mugabe" . Telegraph. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "Zimbabwe: Mysteries remain about Mugabe's downfall". BBC News. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  10. ↑ Akhabley, Francis (13 September 2019). "Inside Mugabe's opulent 'Blue Roof' mansion where his body lies in state ahead of burial". Face 2 Face Africa. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Lawyer says establishing Mugabe's assets will take a long time". Reuters. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "Zanu PF Says Blue Roof, Other Upmarket Property Not Part of Late Mugabe's Assets". VOA Zimbabwe. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  13. ↑ Madzimure, Joseph (16 September 2019). "Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Owns Blue Roof, Bona Mugabe's Residence". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  14. ↑ "Zanu-PF to transfer Blue Roof mansion to Mugabe family". IOL. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.