Our African culture is very strict when it comes to respecting declared wishes of a departed person.

In that regard, President Emmerson Mnangagwa will not be attending former President Robert Mugabe’s burial at his rural home in Kutama next to his mother’s grave as per his wishes.

In his last days, Mugabe, told his family members that he does not want to be buried at the North Korean-styled National Heroes Acre Warren Park Harare.

Family sources further revealed that Mugabe, who died in Singapore this nothing, said he does not want the current Zanu-PF government to preside over his funeral.

The family told media in confidence that Mugabe specifically made it clear that he would not want President Emmerson Mnangagwa — who seized power from him in a military coup in November 2017 — and his allies to attend his burial nor hold forth and pontificate over his dead body.

Mugabe remained bitter with Mnangagwa for toppling him despite their decades of close relations said he wants to be buried next to his mother Bona at his rural home in Zvimba, Mashonaland West province and not the National Heroes Acre where his first wife Sally is buried.

In the regard, it is now an open secret that MDC President Nelson Chamisa who found favour with Mugabe over Mnangagwa will be accorded a VVIP status at Mugabe’s burial which Mnangagwa will not attend.

Mugabe worked with Mnangagwa for over 50 years. Mnangagwa became his right-hand man and enforcer of his authoritarian rule which destroyed the country and economy through repression, mismanagement and corruption.

Mnangagwa reacted by sending to Singapore — where Mugabe was receiving treatment for years — a delegation headed by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda. The team also included Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Isaac Moyo and Mugabe’s former personal doctor Professor Jonathan Matenga.

Sources said Mnangagwa’s delegation was mainly there to try to fix broken relations with the Muagbe family which unfortunately never materialised until Mugabe’s death.

Government was helping Mugabe out with payment of medical bills despite the sour relations between him and Mnangagwa.