Harare, Sep. 16 (IANS): The body of former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, who died in Singapore on September 6, is scheduled to be brought at his rural home in Zvimba on Monday.
It was earlier planned that the body would be taken to Zvimba on Sunday to allow the people there to bid him farewell. But according to family spokesperson Leo Mugabe, the programme was changed to Monday.
"However, we were not informed of the reasons for the postponement. The body was supposed to be here (Zvimba) today. As you can see, thousands of people have already gathered here to bid farewell to their own son," said the spokesperson at Mugabe's rural homestead.
"I am not sure what caused the postponement. I heard the former First Lady Grace Mugabe wanted to rest. Like any other human being she needs a rest," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
The spokesperson said the body might be brought to Zvimba by road as requested by Norton residents and people from other surrounding areas.
"We will inform those leading the proceedings on the latest development. Our plan was to have his body come by road to enable people from Norton and other surrounding areas to pay last respects to their former President.
"Some might not get transport to ferry them to Zvimba, so we are organizing that the body passes through by road."
The spokesperson said that after the rural proceedings, the body would be taken to a mortuary on Tuesday, where it would lie in state for about 30 days while a mausoleum was being built at the National Heroes Acre.
