.com | EXCLUSIVE: White farmer battles Mugabe’s top aide in ‘last minute’ scramble for land

Hollywood star Will Smith has just been to Victoria Falls – but did he stay on the Zimbabwe side or the Zambian side of the natural wonder? Harare – A white commercial farmer in Matabeleland South in southern Zimbabwe is battling to have President Robert Mugabe’s top aide leave a prime property, in what critics view as a “last minute” scramble for land akin to the biblical “last supper”. Ray Ndlukula, the deputy secretary for cabinet and president’s office, has laid siege on the farm located in Figtree amid revelations in court documents that are in News24’s possession that he has other properties in the province.

Deadly floods hit southern Zimbabwe, destroying many homes

From kitchen items to livestock and even her house, Assa Mkwananzi says she has “lost it all” to floods that have hit southern Zimbabwe. “We lost all our blankets, pots and cooking utensils, our goats and chickens as well because of the heavy rains,” Mkwananzi told The Associated Press in the southern district of Tsholotsho, about 200 kilometers north of Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe’s Mugabe marks 93rd birthday in opposition area

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is celebrating his 93rd birthday amid granite hills where ancient spirits are said to dwell, defying calls to resign after nearly four decades in power in a region known for opposing the man who says he’ll run again in 2018 elections. Thousands of government supporters, some wearing clothing adorned with Mugabe’s image, converged in Matabeleland on Saturday for a birthday bash and show of strength for the ruling ZANU-PF party, beset by squabbling in the past year as the elderly president weakened and factions, one including his wife Grace, sparred ahead of an expected power vacuum.

FEATURE-Illegal settlers threaten Zimbabwe’s timber industry

F rom the mountaintop at Skyline in the Chimanimani district of eastern Zimbabwe, a mosaic of scorched trees and timber can be seen stretching for miles on end. Lit by a wave of illegal settlers, the fires regularly rage through the pine and eucalyptus plantations of Manicaland province, destroying vast swathes of timber at enormous cost.

Zimbabwe pastor behind protests faces 20 years in prison

In this Tuesday May. 3, 2016 file photo, Evans Mawarire a young pastor in the Harare poses for a photo with the Zimbabwean flag wrapped around his body. A lawyer says a Zimbabwe pastor who fled to the United States after launching a popular protest movement has been arrested on his return home.

.com | Mugabe blows $36m on foreign, domestic trips – report

Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe has allegedly grabbed two more properties from a Lebanese businessman, despite the court ordering her to vacate the three houses that she initially seized in a botched $1.3 million diamond ring deal. Cape Town Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, 92, reportedly spent at least $36m on foreign and domestic trips in the first 10 months of 2016.

.com | Grace Mugabe ‘grabs more houses’ in $1.3m diamond ring dispute

Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe has allegedly grabbed two more properties from a Lebanese businessman, despite the court ordering her to vacate the three houses that she initially seized in a botched $1.3m diamond ring deal. Harare High Court judge Clement Phiri on December 21 ruled against President Robert Mugabe’s controversial wife after she forcefully took ownership of three properties belonging Lebanese tycoon Jamal Ahmed, and gave her 24 hours to pack her bags and allow Ahmed’s employees to return to the seized houses.