Dubbed "Gucci Grace", "The First Shopper" or even "DisGrace", she showed her political mettle in 2014 with her campaign against then-vice president Joice Mujuru, who was a contender to succeed her husband. Grace Mugabe — 41 years younger than her husband — was once dismissed as a lightweight shopping addict. G40But she became increasingly active in public life in recent years, and became the frontrunner to take the top job when Mugabe last week sacked her arch-rival, vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa. "They had to act now before Grace was appointed as vice president at the Zanu-PF party congress next month. Grace Mugabe's confrontational approach and distant public image have brought her little popular affection in Zimbabwe.

Source: Daily Nation November 16, 2017 14:37 UTC