President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has reportedly withdrawn former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s State security detail with sources telling NewsDay that the head of her security team police commissioner, Olga Bungu, is now operating from the “commissioner’s pool” at the Police General Headquarters in Harare.
When contacted for comment by NewsDay, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba declined to comment and referred the publication to the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) director-general, Isaac Moyo, and the Police Protection Unit in charge of Mugabe’s security. Said Charamba:
The CIO and police would give you a correct position on the matter. But, logically, I believe it would be expensive for the government to provide security to Chatunga [Mugabe’s youngest child] now whenever he travels to America or decides to relocate there. I think the idea is that security details and other benefits are accrued to the principal [Mugabe]. Other members now enjoy through the principal and not by virtue of their position or association.
University of Zimbabwe lecturer and constitutional lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, said, at law, First Ladies do not have separate security, but benefit from the team that is assigned to their spouses.
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