| There are two Zimbabwes, and Grace lives in one of them. |
Her husband's presence at a UN summit of food has sparked an international outcry, but that hasn't diverted Grace Mugabe from indulging in her favourite pastime - shopping for shoes.
The 44-year-old was whisked away from the luxury hotel where she, her husband and his entourage are staying to splash out on luxury footwear. Mrs Mugabe has to make the most of her time in Rome, an EU travel ban means she might not be back any time soon.
Grace, who is 40 years younger than her husband, has come to represent everything that is wrong with Mugabe's tyrannical regime. Southern Africa's answer to Imelda Marcos, she is known in Zimbabwe as The First Shopper, a woman who has spent millions on foreign shopping trips, a sprawling home dubbed Gracelands and a jet once owned by Playboy tycoon Hugh Hefner.
Asked why she spends thousands on Ferragamo shoes while her people starved, she replied simply: "I have very narrow feet, so I wear only Ferragamo." |