ZIMBABWE: Mugabe to be buried ‘once shrine is built’

The plans for the funeral and burial of Zimbabwe’s first President Robert Mugabe have been up in the air over the last few days.

Things are still not fully confirmed as his family and the government still need to finalise the arrangements, but the former president’s nephew, Leo Mugabe, has told the BBC’s Focus on Africa radio programme that it is likely he will be buried in a month’s time.

This will allow time for a shrine to be constructed at Heroes’ Acre in the capital, Harare, Leo Mugabe said.

The formal state funeral will take place on Saturday, but then the body will be taken to the family’s rural home in Zvimba.

Leo Mugabe added that the shrine needs to be fitting for the stature of the man:Quote Message: This whole process is to restore his legacy after [his overthrow on] 17 November 2017. We are ready to do this so that the public can see this is the founding father of our nation and therefore the shrine should be different and show the respect the whole nation is bestowing on him

This whole process is to restore his legacy after [his overthrow on] 17 November 2017. We are ready to do this so that the public can see this is the founding father of our nation and therefore the shrine should be different and show the respect the whole nation is bestowing on him

Leo Mugabe also said the family knows that it needs to move on from the pain that the coup against his uncle caused:Quote Message: One thing you cannot remove is the scar that was within him before he died. But let bygones be bygones because the living must continue.”

One thing you cannot remove is the scar that was within him before he died. But let bygones be bygones because the living must continue.”

And he took comfort from the fact that his uncle was being mourned and argued that this was a sign that people continued to back his policies:Quote Message: We are witnessing a [mass demonstration] in his support because people have now realised that this man was right.

We are witnessing a [mass demonstration] in his support because people have now realised that this man was right.Quote Message: The way he was handling the economy and so forth… People notice the price of basic commodities have shot up. So people are saying: ‘Why did we remove Mugabe in the first place?’”

The way he was handling the economy and so forth… People notice the price of basic commodities have shot up. So people are saying: ‘Why did we remove Mugabe in the first place?’”

BBC