Grief-stricken Mugabe in Malawi to bury Mutharika
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Sunday jetted in Malawi for the burial of his closest ally the late Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika on Monday.
Mutharika died of heart attack on April 5 at the age of 78.
Chairman of the ministerial committee on the funeral, Henry Mussa, indicated Mugabe was “too grieved” with the death of the man he called Comrade.
Mussa says despite confusion on the death date of Mutharika, the late president passed on on April 5.
He says several other African Heads of State will attend the burial on Monday, April 23.
Other heads of state and government leaders billed to witness the burial are Tanzania’s Jakaya Kikwete, Mozambique’s Armando Guebuza, Benin’s Thomas Yayi Boni, Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki and Namibia’s Hipikepunye Pohamba.
Angola will be represented by its Speaker of the National Assembly Antonio Paulo Kasoma while China will be represented by a yet-to-be-named cabinet minister.
Zambia’s Vice President Guy Scott will also attend the burial accompanied by ruling Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba, Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister Given Lubinda, Minister of Gender and Child Development Inonge Wina and Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Emeren Kabashi.
Mutharika will be buried at the Mausoleum that was built by himself and where his first wife Ethel is also buried.
