Former First Lady Grace Mugabe on Monday made a rare public appearance during the burial of her political ally, Sarah Mahoka who persihed in a road accident recently.

According to Zimlive, Grace (56), who is the widow of Zimbabwe’s long-ruling despot, Robert Mugabe, was garbed all black as she joined mourners in Karoi to pay the last respects to Mahoka.

Grace Mugabe made a rare public appearance on Monday for the burial of her political ally Sarah Mahoka.

A former rival of current president Emmerson Mnangagwa during the twilight zone of the late Mugabe’s tenure of office, Mahoka was returning to her farm in the company of her husband and son when their chaffeur-driven vehicle had a head-on collision with a haulage truck in Buffalo Downs in Karoi- barely 3km from their home.

Mahoka, who is also the former Zanu PF Women’s League boss, was an influential member of the mutilated Generation 40 faction which was strongly opposed to then vice president Mnangagwa’s ambitions to replace Mugabe.

A person who attended the funeral said: “It was very emotional for everyone, especially Grace Mugabe. She gave a speech and described Mahoka as principled and dependable to the end.”

The former first lady has kept a low profile since her husband’s death on September 5, 2018, just nine months after he was deposed in a military coup.

In 2019, she was filmed in an agitated state after her farm was invaded in Mazowe.

She spent months in Singapore after the incident, reportedly being treated for an undisclosed illness.

Last week, farm equipment owned by the former first family’s company, Gushungo Holdings, was sold at a public auction. It included vehicles, tractors, water pumps, lawn mowers and combine harvesters.

zimlive/Zwnews