Zimbabwe road to be renamed after Grace Mugabe

A Zanu-PF linked youth group has approached Harare City Council requesting that Borrowdale Road be renamed after First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Borrowdale Road leads to the affluent Borrowdale suburb, where President Robert Mugabe, several high-ranking government officials and the rich and famous live.

If the youth organisation were to get its way, Grace would be the first living person in Zimbabwe, besides her husband, to have such a landmark named in her honour.

The Zimbabwe Youth Council-affiliated Youth Against Poverty (YAP) this week wrote a letter to Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni, requesting council to rename Borrowdale Road "Grace Mugabe Way" in recognition of "her efforts in improving the well-being of children and implementation of ZimAsset", a government economic blueprint.

"There are many reasons we can bring to the table on why she should be recognised with such an honour," the group's leader, Tererai Chakanyuka, said.

"She has stood with the people of Zimbabwe in creation of self-employment through ZimAsset projects, which are a success.

"One of the biggest achievements was building the orphans' school in Mazowe, where the less privileged and orphans are offered the same education as people in advanced schools."

The chairperson of Harare City Council's environment committee, Thomas Gomba, confirmed receiving the letter, which will now have to be considered by the local authority.

But he warned that chances that such a request would succeed were slim, considering the First Lady did not meet the set standards for anyone to have a road named after them.