Is grieving Grace behind Mugabe funeral plans drama? | IOL News

Harare - The controversy swirling around the burial of Zimbabwe's founding leader, Robert Mugabe, centers on his widow, Grace, who has remained dramatically cloaked behind a heavy black veil as she succeeded in getting the country's president to scrap his plans for the ex-leader to be buried in a simple plot alongside other national heroes and instead build a grand new mausoleum for her husband.

She and other family members said they had enlisted the support of Zimbabwe's traditional chiefs to determine how Mugabe would be buried. In a series of announcements throughout the week they divulged details of where, when and how Mugabe would be buried. The saga culminated on Friday with the announcement that the funeral had been postponed for 30 days, until the elaborate new edifice could be built at the Heroes' Acre national monument.

It was also the latest achievement for Grace Mugabe, who rose from being one of the president's secretaries to become first lady. Mugabe and his first wife, Sally, had one son who died while Mugabe was jailed by the Rhodesian regime. When Sally was ailing with kidney failure, Mugabe struck up a relationship with Grace, 41 years his junior, and they had a daughter and two sons. Following Sally's death in 1992, Mugabe married Grace in 1996 in a lavish ceremony at his birthplace, Zvimba.

The prospect of Grace Mugabe gaining so much power, especially as Mugabe was becoming visibly feeble, prompted the military to put the couple under house arrest. Mugabe was forced to resign in November 2017, and his wife was expelled from the ruling party.

Send her here. We have a jail she needs to visit

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Robert Mugabe remains our icon, says Mnangagwa at Blue Roof | IOL NewsZimbabwe president Emmerson Mnangagwa, flanked by security and soldiers carrying rifles, visited Blue Roof, to pay his respects to Robert Mugabe.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Robert Mugabe family opposes Mnangagwa's presence at funeral | IOL NewsThe fallout between Robert Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa could spill into the funeral amid reports that Mugabe’s family was ...
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Mugabe will be buried at National Heroes Acre, family confirms | IOL NewsA fight over Robert Mugabe's burial place has threatened to undermine his successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and expose deep rifts in the governing Zanu-PF party.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

JUST IN: Robert Mugabe to be buried in 'around 30 days' - family | IOL NewsFormer Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe will be buried at the National Heroes Acre monument in Harare in 'around 30 days', Leo Mugabe said.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Mugabe to be buried in 30 daysChiefs reportedly need to prepare the burial site, Heroes Acre, which will take about 30 days.
Source: TheCitizen_News - 🏆 6. / 75 Read more »

Its final: Robert Mugabe to be buried at National Heroes AcreHis family gives in to the government’s request to have the former president interned at the national monument and burial ground
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »