[4] Government House was designed to be the residence of the Administrator of Southern Rhodesia, in contrast to the nearby residency occupied by the Company Commissioner, and was built in 1910 in the Cape Dutch revival style by English architect Detmar Jellings Blow, who although never visiting southern Africa himself worked on designs for the Statue of Jan van Riebeeck in Cape Town and extensions for Government House, Bulawayo at the same time.

[11] In response Rhodesian authorities removed his official cars and any signposts nearby bearing the name of "Governor's office".

[18][19] During his time in office, Zimbabwe's first President Canaan Banana was accused of engaging in homosexual rape on several members of staff in State House.

Following an attack on Mugabe's residence in 1982, a 6pm curfew was introduced to prevent any traffic passing in front of State House, this was removed in 2017.

[21] In 2006, Mugabe moved his personal residence from State House to a newly constructed mansion in the Borrowdale suburb.

[25] After Mugabe was removed from office, it was reported that he left State House in a poor condition that was so bad it prevented his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa from moving in.