Robert and Grace Mugabe will get a ‘golden handshake’ of at least $10 million (£7.5m), legal immunity for himself and his family and a salary paid for life.
The former dictator thrashed out the deal as part of his resignation last week and also safeguarded his family’s extensive business interests in Zimbabwe.
The Guardian reported a Zanu-PF insider close to the deal revealing the exact cash pay off is unknown but it will “not be less than $10million” with $5million being paid now and the rest in instalments.
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The 93-year-old’s $150,000 (around £112,500) salary will also be paid until his death and 52-year-old first lady Grace will receive half that amount for the rest of her life.
In the resignation deal, the state also agreed to let the couple stay in their sprawling mansion and pay for their medical care, domestic staff, security and foreign travel.
Mugabe’s 37-year rule left Zimbabwe with a destroyed economy, massive debts, mass unemployment and a life expectancy of 60 which is one of the lowest in the world.
New president Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in on Friday and his team were close to the negotiations with Mugabe.
The deal was held up for days as Mugabe demanded a list of his family’s assets would not revert to the state’s ownership. However, opposition parties have criticised the resignation deal, Metro Reported.
Douglas Mwonzora, the secretary general of the Movement for Democratic Change, said: ‘We are not privy to any deal reached with Mugabe, and if there is any deal on money or anything else it is unconstitutional.
“In terms of the constitution, Mugabe is a retired president and does not have immunity to criminal or civil wrongdoing committed while in office. In Zanu-PF, they can grant each other immunity, but the law does not authorise that.”
