FORMER President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Leo, and some
close relatives snubbed the former president’s burial in Zvimba last Saturday
after being accused by ex-first lady Grace Mugabe of taking bribes from
government to ensure the late leader is buried at the National Heroes Acre
against his wishes.
Before his death in Singapore on September 6, Mugabe had
told his family he did not want to be buried at the National Heroes Acre, a
North Korea-styled hilltop shrine in Harare.
He informed the family he did not want President Emmerson
Mnangagwa to preside over his burial and pontificate over his dead body.
Grace also accused long-time family friends such as former
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono of being sent by the state and
acting to curry favour with Mnangagwa.
Despite negotiating on Mugabe’s behalf at the height of the
2017 military coup that catapulted Mnangagwa to power, Gono did not attend the
burial as well.
Family sources told the Zimbabwe Independent this week that
Grace unleashed her wrath on Leo during a family meeting held on Saturday
morning hours before the burial.
Family members revealed Grace launched a verbal tirade on
Mugabe’s nephew and other relatives, accusing them of betraying the family and
taking bribes from government agents, along with Zvimba chiefs, to influence
the family’s decision. The former first lady labelled Leo and other relatives
“sell-outs”.
Leo, according to family members, stormed out of the
meeting, trailed by a number of family members, who included some chiefs from
the clan.
Leo, Mugabe’s late sister Sabina’s son and family
spokesperson during negotiations between the government and family, confirmed
the fallout in an interview with the Independent this week.
He, however, denied ever taking bribes from government
agents.“We had a fall-out on Saturday around 11am before the burial. We fell
out because she said I took a bribe from Mnangagwa to influence the decision to
bury my uncle at the Heroes Acre. It is not true to accuse chiefs of taking
bribes. Those are some of the accusations,” Leo said.
“It’s normal to fall out. It’s not new really because I
don’t tolerate nonsense. My uncle knew that I would argue and put across my
point. I am a principled person. Can you imagine I did not eventually attend my
uncle’s funeral.”
Leo also said some family members expressed disappointment
during the meeting, accusing Grace and a small cast of family members, who
included her children and former mines minister Walter Chidhakwa, of making a
unilateral decision to take Mugabe’s body to Zvimba.
“The extended family was then left out, but it’s normal in every
family. It should have been properly communicated to others so that people
don’t feel they are being pushed out,” Leo said.
“This is why the chiefs never showed up. There was one
chief there. I think the situation could have been handled better. Certainly it
could have been handled better.
“The bigger council should have been informed because it is
the one that had gone to President Mnangagwa. It would have gone back to the
president to say stop constructing the mausoleum because of the new plans.
“So that communication was not there, it was very poor. We
regret that and personally I would apologies to the chiefs to say, we are sorry
for the miscommunication, it was uncalled for.
“I don’t think an apology has gone to the chiefs. It’s even
seen in the accusations that are now coming to me, to the effect that we sold
out and we were bought by Mnangagwa. It is nonsense, total nonsense.
“Nobody was bought. Nobody was given money. Nobody was
coerced into taking my uncle to the shrine.”
A close family friend told the Independent that Grace was
consulted throughout the process before government announced that Mugabe would
be buried at the National Heroes Acre.
“There were so many turns and twists. The Heroes Acre place
was chosen and rituals were performed by Chief Zvimba (who also did not attend
the burial), Robert Jr, Chatunga, Leo, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi,
representing government and Mnangagwa, and Ministry of Home Affairs officials.
“The designs of the Mausoleum were approved by Grace and
relatives. Permission to construct the mausoleum came from Grace, only to
change her mind later and leave everyone in the dark,” he said.
After agreeing that he should be buried at the National
Heroes Acre, Mugabe’s family made an about turn last Thursday when it took a
decision to honour his last wish by burying him in Zvimba. Zimbabwe Independent
0 comments:
Post a Comment