Robert Mugabe

Zimbabwe’s former President Robert Mugabe will now be buried in his rural home Zvimba, 100 kilometres Northwest of Harare, a Government official has confirmed.

Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years, died on 6 September 2019 at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore after a long illness.

Ever since his death, Mugabe’s burial had become a tug-of-war between the family and the government headed by his former confidente Emerson Mnangagwa who toppled the strong man in a soft coup in 2017.

Until Thursday, the government had agreed to built a multi-million dollar mausoleum on top a hill overlooking the capital Harare and not in the heroes acre where others were laid to rest.

Since the mausoleum was going to take 30-days to built, Mugabe’s family decided to keep the body in his mansion in Harare.

Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangawana said, in a statement on Thursday that the Government will respect the Mugabe family’s wishes.

“The family of the late former President R. G. Mugabe has expressed its desire to proceed with his burial in Zvimba. In line with Government policy to respect the wishes of the families of deceased heroes, Government is cooperating with the Mugabe family in their new position.

“Government will render all the necessary support to give the late former President a fitting burial as led by the family,” read the statement from Mangwana.