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Blue Roof is the common name given to a mansion and former presidential palace in the suburb of Borrowdale in Harare, Zimbabwe. It was built in 2006 by the ZANU-PF political party as a family home for the then President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe. Following his death, ownership was transferred to the Mugabe family.
In 2006, in preparation for the end of construction, Mugabe ordered a number of measures were put in. Owners of properties surrounding the palace were sent letters saying they faced eviction from their homes due to them being within a security area. Critics alleged that was because Mugabe did not want people living near him. Access to foot and vehicular traffic would also be restricted similar to the measures Mugabe had put in around State House.
Following the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état which removed Mugabe from office, he was placed under house arrest at Blue Roof by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Following Mugabe's death in 2019, his body lay in state at Blue Roof. Afterwards there was doubt as to who owned the mansion. ZANU-PF claimed they owned it and hired a lawyer to ensure it was not listed as part of Mugabe's estate. Despite reports it would become a museum, ZANU-PF announced they were handing it over to Mugabe's family to help ensure their security.
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