HARARE - President Robert Mugabe yesterday officially opened the controversial Defence College in Mazowe under a cloud of secrecy as private and foreign press was barred from the event.

The Daily News crew was denied entrance by soldiers who said only invited guests could be allowed in.

The college — dubbed the Robert Mugabe School of Intelligence — was built by Chinese firm Afecc.

Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa told Parliament last year that the Chinese channelled $98 million towards construction of the Robert Mugabe School of Intelligence — which will act as a think tank for providing research on military, defence and national security for the National Security Council, ministry of Defence and other government organisations.

The imposing intelligence facility is conspicuous from the Mazowe Road and is adjacent to a massive farming operation. - Wendy Muperi