Malawi declares public holiday for Mutharika’s burial

Presidents from Benin, Mozambique, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Zimbabwe are expected. “I can confirm that seven presidents from Africa will attend the burial ceremony,” said local government minister Henry Mussa, who heads the funeral preparations. Thousands of people this week queued to pay their last respects as his body lay in state and was moved to three cities across the country. Mutharika died of heart attack on April 5 and his body was flown to South Africa for embalming. The 78-year-old was a former African Union chairman. — AFP.