Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe looks on during his inauguration and swearing-in ceremony on August 22, 2013 at the 60,000-seater sports stadium in Harare. Veteran Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s president for another five-year term before a stadium packed with tens of thousands of jubilant supporters. (AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE)
Robert Mugabe: There is still no clarity on Zim leader’s burial
The former president of Zimbabwe is expected to be laid to rest this weekend. However, nobody seems to know where he will be buried.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe looks on during his inauguration and swearing-in ceremony on August 22, 2013 at the 60,000-seater sports stadium in Harare. Veteran Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s president for another five-year term before a stadium packed with tens of thousands of jubilant supporters. (AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE)
Days after the continent has come to terms with the passing of Robert Mugabe, his family has yet to confirm the details of the former leader’s burial.
When is Robert Mugabe’s funeral?
Robert Mugabe succumbed to a liver disease, at a hospital in Singapore on Friday, 6 September. He was 95 years old.
According to the family spokesperson, Leo Mugabe, there has not been any finality on when and where Robert Mugabe is going to be buried.
This, he told eNCA, is only due to the fact that the procession will be rooted in the former Zimbabwean leader’s cultural traditions.
“The chiefs in Zvimba still regard him as a chief and in terms of tradition, they are the ones that determine where is he going to be buried, how is he going to be buried, the procedures that must be followed in his burial.
“This is a cultural thing and nobody can push the chiefs to divulge where they are going to bury [Mugabe],” he said.
Despite this, it is expected that Mugabe will be laid to rest on Sunday, 15 September.
Family responds to rumoured disputes with government
The family spokesperson also addressed rumours that there had been a fallout with the Zimbabwean government in arrangements for Mugabe’s burial.
This, Leo Mugabe noted, was far from true.
“To say there is a feud is not correct, it’s not true. We’ve been meeting with the government and everything has been very smooth. There’s understanding, there’s clarity on responsibilities and therefore there’s no feud whatsoever,” said Leo Mugabe.
According to the family’s spokesperson, talks between the Mugabes and the Zimbabwean government have gone down smoothly and “everything is going according to plan”.
EFF to host memorial service in honour of Mugabe
The EFF has confirmed that it will be commemorating the passing of Mugabe with a memorial service which will be held at the Orlando East Community Hall, in Soweto, this coming Friday.
“President Mugabe is one of the liberation fighters that ensured the independence and self-sufficiency of Zimbabwe and its people,” was how he was described by the Red Berets in a recent statement.
The EFF will host a Memorial Service for the late President of Zimbabwe and Africa Revolutionary Robert Mugabe, to be addressed by CIC @Julius_S_Malema:
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) September 9, 2019
Date: 12 September, 2019 (Thursday)
Time: 12h00 (Midday)
Venue: Orlando East Community Hall, Soweto pic.twitter.com/9k005pKeIA
EFF leader, Julius Malema is expected to lead the procession where the life of what the party describes as “an African revolutioanry” will be celebrated.
