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Harare Bureau 

THE remains of former President Robert Mugabe are set to be interred at his Kutama Mission homestead in Zvimba today, where he will lie alongside his late mother, Bona and brothers, Albert and Donato.

 Family spokesperson Leo Mugabe confirmed the latest developments last night.

‘‘He will be buried tomorrow (today) at the family courtyard at 2PM,”  he said.

The body of the late nationalist was escorted by a Government-sanctioned police and military convoy on Thursday.

The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Ambassador Cain Mathema, will represent Government at the burial. 

The Ministry is responsible for officiating at the burial of national heroes.

It is understood that Mashonaland West Provincial Minister Mary Mliswa will be present alongside ruling Zanu-PF party officials.

Government is providing military pallbearers to lay the late statesman to rest.

Originally, Cde Mugabe was supposed to be buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare in a special mausoleum.

The site for the mausoleum had been picked by Cde Mugabe’s sons, Robert Jr and Chatunga and traditional chiefs and construction of the mausoleum had started.

A government source yesterday dismissed as “nonsensical” rumours that the mausoleum would be used to house other heroes in future.

“It was only for Cde Mugabe,” he said.

It is understood that the decision to bury the remains of Cde Mugabe at his rural home was “somewhat abrupt” as the Government, family and Zvimba chiefs had consented to bury him at the National Heroes Acre.

Our Harare Bureau understands that South African opposition leader Julius Malema, who visited the country and held a three-hour closed door meeting with the former First Lady, Mrs Grace Mugabe,  influenced the decision to bury Cde Mugabe at Kutama.