Government will now stop the construction of the mausoleum
because it is now of no use, Information Secretary Nick Mangwana has said.
“Why should we continue to construct it? What for? I have
not yet communicated with the Public Works department, but at least it won’t be
constructed for now,” he said.
Zanu PF youth leader Pupurai Togarepi betrayed the
frustration in the ruling party with the family’s decision.
“Bob died on the 6th of September 2019. What we have in the
coffin are his remains, bury them where you want. Let’s stop this whole
grandstanding with the body as if the old man will walk again. We all loved
him, but he is gone forever. Allow the former President to rest in peace,” he
tweeted when the news of the Zvimba burial broke out.
There was drama at the Blue Roof after the family called
Doves Funeral Services for the hearse to come and collect his body.
Sources alleged Doves then alerted a government minister,
who called family spokesperson Leo Mugabe, registering his displeasure at the
family’s decision after earlier agreeing to have the former leader buried in a
mausoleum at the National Heroes’ Acre.
“Leo Mugabe told the minister that there was nothing he
could do because the family had agreed to have him buried at his rural home. He
said he stood guided by the family’s decision,” a family source said.
The minister is said to have threatened not to process a
burial order for Mugabe, but the family insisted they already had the burial
document for Mugabe and nothing could change their final position.
Leo confirmed to NewsDay that Mugabe, who died at the age
of 95, would be buried in Zvimba. “It’s true, but can you call me after 45
minutes,” Leo said, but was not picking calls thereafter.
It was after the government minister’s call to Leo that
some police details went to Blue Roof to block the family from taking the body
off to Zvimba until government finally conceded defeat and issued a statement
that it would now respect the family’s wish.
Last Friday, Grace kicked out chiefs from her Blue Roof
mansion after accusing them of trying to connive with government to use her
former husband’s body for personal gain.
On Monday, South African opposition Economic Freedom
Fighters leader Julius Malema gave a brief of what was in the offing when he
accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government of trying to ride on
Mugabe’s legacy by burying him at the national shrine and defying his wishes. Newsday
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