Mazowe – Heavily armed Zimbabwean soldiers are reportedly still deployed at former first lady Grace Mugabe’s farming empire which she controversially acquired in Mazowe.

According to New Zimbabwe.com, an army tanker and several military trucks can be seen in the area, while a giant military tent has also been erected.

“… the military police continue to maintain a heavy presence near Grace Mugabe‘s farm, orphanage and private school,” the report said.

In July, Grace reportedly moved to expand her Mazowe “empire” in Mashonaland province by grabbing the “iconic state-owned Mazowe Dam – almost a century after it was built – and surrounding tracts of land”.

The Zimbabwe Independent, reported at the time that the move heightened Grace’s “bitter fights with local villagers”, who were now barred from using the huge dam, as she also wanted to privatise it.

The then first lady’s growing empire already included a huge double-storey mansion, a dairy farm, an orphanage and a school.

She also planned on building a university.

New Zimbabwe.com said that the Mugabes were believed to own an estimated eight farms in Mazowe alone. These included; Iron Mask Estate, Gushungo Dairies, Mapfeni Farm, Sigaru Farm, Gwebi Woods Farm and Gwina Farm.