admin
Joseph Madzimure and Yeukai Tazira , Harare Bureau
Scores of people gathered at Murombedzi Business Centre and former President Robert Mugabe’s rural home area in Zvimba yesterday to bid farewell to the late African icon.
Speaker after speaker described the late President Mugabe as a principled man who fought for the emancipation of African people from the yoke of colonial bondage.
Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman, Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi said they were very happy with the turnout.
“As the provincial party leadership, we are happy with the turnout. The body of the late African icon will lie at his rural home before being airlifted to Harare tomorrow.
“We were supposed to come here yesterday (Sunday) but having deliberated and having consulted the former First Lady Grace Mugabe we all realised she was very tired and very weak and we gave ourselves one day to rest after consulting with the family,’” he said.
He added that the proceedings went well according to plan as people waited to bid farewell to their own son.
“This morning we started the proceedings very well. The body arrived this morning and it was immediately brought here in Murombedzi so that the people of Zvimba can bid farewell to the founding father.
“We have heard speeches from the minister and the provincial leadership followed by body viewing by the people and we expect to have a night vigil and thereafter his body will be taken back to Harare tomorrow (today).
“The turn up of people is good, because when we had body viewing in Harare we also brought buses from Mashonaland West to ferry people to Harare for the first viewing on Thursday.
“So on Thursday we had Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central and Harare,” said Cde Ziyambi.
He hailed the former First Lady for taking care of the former President.
He said that Cde Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwawo had misdirected his anger to the Government instead of mourning his uncle with others.
“He has misdirected his anger. The Government has been looking after our founding President and the Cabinet would brief us about his condition even when he was travelling. We were taking care of his welfare even when he passed on, the President immediately dispatched a plane to ferry him back and he had sent money there to ensure that all the logistics that were needed were catered for,” he added.
Some of the dignitaries who were present are Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Edna Madzongwe, central committee members, senior Government officials and the Mugabe family members.
Mashonaland West Youth league chairman Cde Vengai Musengi said Cde Mugabe was the champion of black empowerment
Provincial Minister for Mashonaland West province Cde Mary Mliswa described the late Cde Mugabe as an African giant who put Zimbabwe on the world map.
“The country is now on the world map because of his contribution on the global arena, such as the United Nations Summit, African Union Summit, fighting for the rights of Zimbabweans and Africa at large,” said the minister.
“The former President was a unifier in the political arena,” she said.
“As you can see, people from all walks of life are gathered here to bid farewell to one of their own,” said Minister Mliswa.
The body of the late national hero is expected to be airlifted back to Harare today.
Online Reporter