By Staff Reporter
President Robert Mugabe received $35 000 and 15 head of cattle in bride price (lobola) for his daughter Bona, in a traditional marriage ceremony which took place two weeks ago at the family’s rural home in Zvimba.
The son-in law has been identified as Simbarashe Chikore, a pilot with the Emirates Airlines who is also a Zaoga (Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa) church member. Chikore will have the 15 cattle delivered later.
Press reports suggest Bona Mugabe and Chikore’s relationship started and blossomed two years ago when she boarded a plane he was flying on her way to Dubai. Sources say they exchanged numbers and later became friends.
However, the friendship developed into an affair until Simba was introduced to the First Family last year. President Mugabe asked Chikore in person whether he was serious about the affair to which he responded positively.
Bona’s marriage is a clean break from her mother Grace Marufu who had an affair with Mugabe while his wife Sally was dying of a kidney ailment. The affair resulted in two children, Bona, named after Mugabe’s mother, and Robert Peter, Jr.
