Mugabe’s body arrives in Zimbabwe, casket brought from cargo section of jet
A plane carrying the body of Zimbabwe’s ex-president, Robert Mugabe, landed in Harare on Wednesday, for burial in a country divided over the legacy of his 37-year rule.
Accompanying the body was Mugabe’s widow, Grace and the former First Couple’s three children and son-in-law Simbarashe Chikore as well as a few relatives.
The Mugabe family came aboard the charter flight A6-DAS and almost all were dressed in mourning black attires.
Mugabe, a guerrilla leader who rose to power after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain and governed until he was ousted by the military in 2017, died in Singapore on Friday, aged 95.
His health deteriorated after he was toppled by the army and former loyalists in November 2017, ending an increasingly iron-fisted rule during which he crushed his opponents.
Around two thousand supporters, family members and government officials were on the tarmac at Harare airport to welcome Mugabe’s remains as they arrived by charter flight from Singapore and his Casket was brought down from the cargo section of the jet.
Soldiers stood guard along a red carpet as military officers walked solemnly with the coffin drapped in the green, gold, black and red national flag.
His wife, Grace, wearing a black veil, sat with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The body will be taken to Mugabe’s private Harare residence, known as the Blue Roof, for the night. It will be laid out for the public to pay their respects in Rufaro stadium on Thursday, before heading to his homestead Zvimba.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, former Cuban leader Raul Castro and a dozen African presidents, including Malawi’s Peter Mutharika, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, are among those expected to attend Mugabe’s state funeral on Saturday in Harare, Zimbabwe’s presidency said.
Mugabe’s final burial place on Sunday, though, is still unclear.
His family and Mnangagwa’s government are apparently at odds over whether it would be at his homestead northwest of Harare or at a shrine for liberation heroes in the capital.
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RIP BOB
You did not destroy the economy of Zimbabwe as some people say it, a white man did it in Europe when his brother became landless in Africa..
RIP RG.
Let the tyrant go its only GOD who rules for ever. I shed no any croc. tears for this dictator who pushed his country to economic shut down due to his old age and poor implementation of some stupid policies.
Death humbles even lions. You can now see the mighty Robert covered with a sack cloth. Always avoid accumulating wealth. Think about other human beings and share with them what you have.
Komanso chigudulicho munakachotselatu mu ndege.
zoona
why remove it, you can not carry a naked casket/coffin in a plane , its supposed to be covered , we call it cargo without value
Nyasatimes, please. Human remains are are transported as cargo, hence have to be in the cargo section of the plane. They are classed as ‘cargo without value’ hence no duty/custom must be paid.
EVERY CORPSE IS CARGO.
IT IS FOR THE SAME REASON THE AIR AMBULANCE PILOT FROM SA REFUSING TO FLY DANIEL PHIRI WHO WAS ‘CARGO’ AT THAT TIME.
IF A PERSON DIES IN A PLANE, THE PILOT IS SUPPOSED TO DROP THAT CORPSE AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT BECAUSE HIS MANIFEST DID NOT DECLARRE CARGO BUT PASSENGERS. NEW LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE THEN MADE TO REPATRIATE THAT ‘CARGO’ TO IT’S INTENDED DISCRIPTION’.
90% OF NYASATIMES REPORTERS/ COLUMN WRITERS ARE IGNORANT OF THE ISSUES THEY REPORT/WRITE ABOUT – BAKILI UNTED!!!
Whats news here???? U wanted the coffin to come through passenger section??? This happens everywhere, FYI Coffins are always treated as cargo. Was the same with Kamuzu Banda, Chihana, Bingu …will even be the same with APM if he decides to be buried here in Malawi.
Depending on where he dies, APM might not need a plane, unless the government decides to transport the dead body to South Africa just like they did with Bingu.
youth director wa UTM amkatero. Lero ali kuti?
was it supposed to come out via passengers door?
RIP MUGABE
Ntambo,Trapence ndigululanu loonekela potumikila SATANA.Pazovuta zaMugabe mulankhula chani monga atsogo.Koma Mugabe amasephana ndizamathanyula ndipo anali n’dani wa LGBTIQ komanso Amasambwadza ndi omwe amakutumaniwonso.Kamufunseni Obama ndimphongo inzake anakwatilana ija.
HRDC is registered in Malawi not in Zimbabwe you Cadet? Anapha anthutu Mugabe!!
Iwenso ndiwe galu eti. Zugwirizana chani ndi HRDC