Mnangagwa paid at least $550 000 to hire plane for Grace using private funds

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is reported to have spent a minimum of $550 000 chartering a private Gulfstream 650 plane from Qatar to allow former first lady Grace Mugabe to travel to her mother's funeral. According to The Standard, the money was sourced from a businessman who is close to Mnangagwa and has interests in energy, mining and agriculture. The president also donated food items to assist the Mugabes with the funeral. Speaking to The Standard, Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana said,

I do not know how much was paid for the plane and I do not even want to know…but do you know that good politics is expensive. That's all I can say.

Good politics requires us to treat our former leaders with respect and show compassion to them. So whatever price you pay for ensuring that you send the right message to your future generations, that he sacrificed his life to liberate you and you want to show the young kids what it is to love…nothing can pay it back; so you can't put figures to love, you can't put figures to the correct decision.

After Mnangagwa's magnanimous behaviour the Mugabe's made an about turn and endorsed Mnangagwa as Zimbabwe's new ruler.  The Mugabe's also called on critics of Mnangagwa to support him as they had forgiven him. A day before the July 30 harmonised elections, Mugabe told a press conference that he was not going to vote for Mnangagwa.  The former president went as far as calling his successor a hardworking man who cannot be trusted because he is dishonest.