First Lady's ex-husband honoured

HARARE - First Lady Grace Mugabe's ex-husband, Stanley Goreraza, who was appointed a diplomat at Zimbabwe's embassy in China in 2001, was on Thursday honoured among top Air Force of Zimbabwe officers for long service and their role in the controversial Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) war.

Goreraza was among 81 officers from the AFZ who were conferred with first bars for long and exemplary service and the DRC campaign medals by Air Vice Marshal Elson Moyo at Manyame Airbase.

The first bar for the long and exemplary medal was awarded to 14 officers “because of their tireless and dedicated service for the past 25 years”. Zimbabwejournalists.com confirmed yesterday Goreraza was being honoured for long service since he was studying in China at the height of the DRC campaign that at one stage sucked in six African and rebel armies.

Goreraza is serving as a defence attaché at the Zimbabwean embassy in China. He shot into the limelight in 1995 when the world woke up to the news his wife had two children with President Mugabe when his first wife, Sally, was still alive. Grace and Goreraza have one child, Russell. Grace went on to have three children, Bona, Robert Junior and Chatunga, with Mugabe after leaving her husband.

Goreraza has remained tight-lipped over his wife’s decision to jilt him for the president but is said to enjoy cordial relations with the Mugabes. Grace and Mugabe visited him when he was hospitalised in China in 2001.

Conferring the medals on the officers, AVM Moyo said they had shown dedication and loyalty to Zimbabwe by working “tirelessly towards the destruction of colonial architecture and the subsequent reconstruction of an independent Zimbabwe”.

"It is without doubt that they have been the foundation of the Air Force of today, having served the organisation for more than 25 years," said Moyo.

"Their invaluable contribution continues to shape the destiny of our elite force. Prior to and after independence, the officers have remained steadfast and loyal to their motherland and have shown dedication and devotion to duty of the highest degree.”

The AFZ officers who got long service medals with Goreraza are air vice marshals Henry Muchena, Elson Moyo, air commodores Kennedy Zimondi, Sheba Shumbayaonda, Innocent Chiganze, Jasper Marangwanda, Mike Karakadzai, Jacob Nzvede, wing commanders Peter Zimondi, Darlington Kudyautumbe, Walter Chikukwa, Joyce Murozvi and squadron leader Felix Mungazivei.