July 23, 1965 - Grace Mugabe
Her ascent from secretary to First Lady tracked closely with her accumulation of influence, land, and wealth during one of Zimbabwe's most turbulent decades. Widely known by the nickname "Gucci Grace" for her extravagant spending during a period of hyperinflation and mass poverty, she was also implicated in violent incidents — most notably the assault of a model in South Africa — that drew international attention. As her husband's health declined, she positioned herself as a potential successor, reshaping ZANU-PF factions in ways that ultimately contributed to the conditions for the 2017 military intervention.
From Wikipedia
Grace Ntombizodwa Mugabe (formerly Goreraza, née Marufu; born 23 July 1965) is a Zimbabwean entrepreneur, politician and the widow of the late President Robert Mugabe. She served as the First Lady of Zimbabwe from 1996 until her husband's resignation in November 2017, a week after he was ousted from power in the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état. Starting as a secretary to Mugabe, she rose in the ranks of the ruling ZANU–PF party to become the head of its Women's League and a key figure in the Generation 40 faction. At the same time, she gained a reputation for privilege and extravagance during a period of economic turmoil in the country. She was given the nickname Gucci Grace due to her extravagance. She was expelled from the party, with other G40 members, during the 2017 coup.
Mugabe was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2014.
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