Controversy Over Mugabe as Burial is Postponed

Authorities in Harare may just have to leave the burial of the late former president, Robert Mugabe in the hands of family members and opt for the State Funeral. A letter from the foreign ministry has advised Heads of State/government to arrive in the country on Friday and depart immediately.

The letter reads, “Heads of State/government wishing to attend the ceremony are advised to arrive in Harare on Friday, September 13, 2019, and depart immediately after the ceremony taking into consideration that government authorities will be fully occupied with preparations for the burial service/ceremony reserved for Sunday, September 15, 2019.”

Initially, burial was slated for September 15 on Sunday and has been postponed indefinitely according to a family source who spoke with ZimLive.

According to family sources, the reason for the postponement is multi-faceted, “There are three issues at present which are still bubbling under, and it could be any one of them. First is where the former president is going to be buried, there’s still no agreement on that.“

Also, September 15 is President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s birthday and there’s a growing opinion that for all manner of reasons, including the superstitious kind, burial should not happen on that day.  

“The third and final issue is that there is a push from Zanu PF supporters in the provinces who say owing to travel costs it is better for Mugabe’s body to be taken to all 10 provinces before burial. This is gaining traction and could be the reason why the burial has been pushed back to a date as yet unknown.” 

Mr Mugabe died in a Singapore hospital aged 95 last Friday. Rumors peddled and reported in some news outlets indicate that he left instructions that he wished to be buried in Kutama, his rural village, and not at the National Heroes Acre in Harare where Zimbabwe buries its “national heroes”. Mugabe’s family is at loggerheads with the Zimbabwean government over where he should be buried. 

Header Image Credit: AfricanExponent