Socialite and entrepreneur Pokello Nare is facing a storm of criticism after her extended 40th birthday celebrations drew accusations that she is living off the Mnangagwa family’s wealth at a time when ordinary Zimbabweans are struggling to survive.
The self-styled “Queen of Swagger,” who is married to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Collins Mnangagwa, has been on a luxury spree that saw her mark her milestone birthday with high-end parties, luxury fashion, and international travel. From European destinations to exclusive local gatherings, her celebrations have stretched for weeks with a price tag some say runs into millions.
But while her loyal fans have gushed over her glamour, critics accuse her of burning through state-linked money while hospitals in Zimbabwe lack basic drugs and families are battling record inflation.
“Pokello is living like a queen while the nation starves. This is taxpayers’ money disguised as family luxury,” one furious user wrote on X.
Her marriage to Mnangagwa’s son has placed her in the eye of the storm, with detractors suggesting she is part of a first-family culture of unchecked extravagance. The timing of her opulent lifestyle has further fueled anger, coming as civil servants plead for salary increases and citizens endure blackouts and food shortages.
