Mugabe's family shocked over funeral plans by govt

Harare: Robert Mugabe's family on Friday said they were shocked at not having been consulted by the country's government about arrangements for the funeral of the late Zimbabwean President who died last week.

The 95-year-old former leader died on September 6 at a hospital in Singapore where he was being treated for prolonged illness, the BBC reported.

In a statement, Mugabe's family said that his body will be displayed in his home village of Kutama on Sunday night, and will be buried at a private ceremony on September 16 or 17.

The government had wanted him to be interred at the National Heroes monument in Harare.

"We note with extreme concern the manner with which the government of Zimbabwe has developed the programme for the funeral of the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe without consulting his immediate family who were tasked with communicating his last wishes in regard to his funeral and burial," the family said in a statement.

"As his immediate family, we have also observed with shock that the government of Zimbabwe is attempting to coerce us to accept a programme for the funeral and burial of the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe which is contrary to his wishes on how he wished to have his mortal remains interred."

Mugabe was Zimbabwe's first leader after the country became independent in 1980. He held on to power for almost four decades before being ousted in a coup in 2017.