Walter Mzembi reportedly left living with nephew after wife sold properties said to be worth US$2 million

# What happened Former foreign minister Walter Mzembi is reported to be living at his nephew's home in Harare after local outlets said his wife, Barbra Hernandez, sold properties linked to the couple for more than US$2 million while he was outside the country.

The reports first appeared in Zimbabwean outlets and have gained attention because they contrast with Mzembi's previous public profile as a senior ZANU PF minister and visible government figure.

# Who is involved

• Walter Mzembi: former Tourism and Foreign Affairs minister, G40 faction figure, returned to Zimbabwe in June 2025. He was acquitted of abuse-of-office charges on 13 May 2026. He has not confirmed that he lost his entire property portfolio and has questioned the US$2 million figure.

• Barbra Hernandez: Mzembi's wife. Local reporting alleges she sold properties linked to the couple while Mzembi lived abroad.

# What Mzembi said When asked about the reported US$2 million value, Mzembi questioned the figure: "US$2 million yoga here? Just US$2 million?" He dismissed some of the reports as rumours and said that even if properties had been taken, that did not take "all the brick and mortar and my brains." He also challenged suggestions that he had formally complained about the sales, saying he had not made a complaint and that he still had his own assets.

# Legal and political backdrop

His attempt to rejoin ZANU PF has encountered resistance. Masvingo provincial leaders reportedly demanded an explanation for his past public attacks on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, complicating any political rehabilitation.

# Public image and current circumstances Reporters and commentators point to a contrast between Mzembi's former status and his current reported reliance on relatives for accommodation. He has been publicly noticeable for repeatedly wearing a distinctive purple suit at court proceedings and public events. People close to him say he was left with little in his name after years away, though Mzembi disputes some specific claims.

# Why this matters The story connects personal and political consequences: property sales reported while Mzembi was abroad feed perceptions about his post-exile economic position, and the matter intersects with his legal history and ongoing efforts to regain standing inside ZANU PF. For readers tracking Zimbabwean political networks, the account highlights how factional displacement, legal cases, and personal asset disputes continue to shape the trajectories of former officials.