The burial of former President Robert Mugabe, which was set for this Sunday has been postponed to an unknown date, sources informed CITE.
Government had previously announced Tuesday that Mugabe’s burial would be on Sunday.
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, indicated that the remains of former president will arrive in Zimbabwe Wednesday from Singapore where he died September 6.
On Thursday and Friday, his body was to be taken to Rufaro Stadium for the public to pay their respects.
This was to be followed with a state funeral service Saturday.
But sources told CITE that the burial was unlikely to take place Sunday due to “a number of considerations including taking the body to the country’s other nine provinces.”
“This would give his supporters an opportunity to bid their last farewell,” the sources added.
Mugabe (95) was accorded national hero status and the country has declared several days of mourning until he is buried.
However, despite the burial postponement, a funeral service to be attended by foreign dignitaries would still go ahead as planned for Saturday.
It is still not clear as to where Mugabe would be buried as reports mentioned negotiations between the former strongman’s family and government.
Initial reports had claimed Mugabe indicated he was to be buried at Zvimba next to his late mother and not at the National Heroes Acre but the veracity of those claims were not authenticated.
The delay to announce Mugabe’s final resting place has fueled speculation that all is not well between the former first family and the current Emmerson Mnangagwa led administration.
“The burial venue is yet to be finalised as no agreement has been finalised,” sources said, adding that another factor was related to the burial date, September 15, which is President Mnangagwa’s birthday.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kembo Mohadi who leads a delegation is in Singapore to bring Mugabe’s body back to Zimbabwe.
The delegation include family members of Mugabe and Marufu (the former President’s in-laws), Zanu-PF secretary for Women’s League, Mabel Chinomona and Politburo members Edna Madzongwe and Sydney Sekeramayi.
Other members of the delegation are Mike Bimha, Gabriel Mugabe, Albert Mugabe and Chief Karigamombe.
Reports stated that this delegation hired a private jet to fly them.
