Mugabe yet to move out of official residential wing

Presidential spokesman George Charamba said Mugabe had still had not removed his belongings from Zimbabwe House, a residential wing next to the presidential offices at State House.

“We are already using State House, but what he failed to do since November (is move out of Zimbabwe House),” Charamba told AFP, confirming that Mugabe had kept his books, computers and other belongings at the premises.

Mugabe and his family actually lived in the “Blue Roof ” mansion, a lavish private house in the suburbs during the later years of his presidency.

“We don’t want to create the impression that we are chasing him away,” Charamba said, adding that Mugabe, 94, was currently in Singapore for one of his regular health checks.

Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years after independence from Britain, complained last month that he was thrown out of office by a coup.

His claim drew a dismissive response from his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa, who said the country had “moved on” from the Mugabe era.

The army briefly took over before Mugabe resigned when once-loyal ZANU-PF lawmakers started impeachment proceedings against him.

Mugabe’s authoritarian reign left the country in dire economic decline, triggering mass emigration and widespread collapse of public services.