'Mugabe's bitter, vengeful spirit decimating foes'

THE late former president Robert Mugabe's family claims his spirit is causing the death of his tribesmen who are at the forefront of the exhumation of his remains.

Mugabe's body was buried at his rural home in Kutama, Zvimba, following weeks of a protracted wrangling with government which had intended to lay him to rest at the national heroes' acre in Harare against his wish.

Ever since, a messy battle has been raging for his exhumation, with the family he left behind adamant he should not be reburied.

The matter is currently in court.

Mugabe Zimbabwe's founding leader died in September 2019, two years after he was toppled in a military coup which ushered in the current president Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Chief Zvimba resurrected the war over Mugabe's remains after ordering Grace to ensure that they were exhumed and reburied in Harare.

One of the traditional leaders behind the fiasco, Chief Beperere, born Alfred Tome, succumbed to Covid-19 last month.

The family now claims he was a victim of Mugabe's vengeful spirit.

His son Edward, who was spokesperson for the Zvimba chiefs when they met President Emmerson Mnangagwa in September last year to demand the re- burial of Mugabe, is now reportedly afflicted by an unusual ailment.

One of Edward's sons is also said to be sick and Chiefs Zvimba and Chidziva are also said to be now bed-ridden.

Tinos Manongovere, the headman who took Grace Mugabe to the traditional court demanding mugabe's burial, blamed Chief Zvimba's woes on old age.

"There is nothing amiss about his ill health," Manongovere said.

"Remember he is advanced in age. At more than 80 years old you can't expect him to be running up and down like a teenager."

Dominic matibiri, a member of Mugabe's family, said they believed

Robert Mugabe's Zvimba mausoleum Mugabe's spirit was avenging.

"The spirit of the departed have a way of settling issues with the living," Mat- ibiri said.

"As Mugabe family, we will not mourn Chief Beperere with others because we feel that he was being punished by the avenging spirit for taking part in the ex- humation judgement. Chief Beperere was Mugabe's chief and should have presided over the matter but instead, decided to trick us by taking the matter to Chief Zvimba, a great jus- tice anomaly."

Mugabe family spokesperson Leo Mugabe said his uncle died a bitter man. "I can confirm that he died a bitter man," Leo said.

"Whether he is still bitter, that I don't know because I have never been to the world of the dead and thus I have not experienced it."

As the battle for Mugabe's remains rages in courts, traditional leaders in Zvimba are said to be now pushing for closure in the matter through customary means.

Last week, a traditional leader identified as Headman Chisora is said to have advised Manongovere to arrange for the grave that was set aside for Mugabe at the National Heroes Acre to be filled up with the help of a spirit medium.

The event was supposed to take place last Saturday, but the spirit medium can- celled at the last minute, saying he had a bereavement in Kwekwe.

Leo said he was aware of plans to fill up Mugabe's grave at the national shrine.

"That one I am aware of and we welcome the move because Mugabe is not going to be buried there," Leo said.

"This will put to rest all this. I understand they (Chisora and Manongovere) made contact with the M ugabe family, that is why I know it. Government should be aware of this, especially the Home Affairs minister."

"They simply have to fill it up and keep (the mausoleum) for symbolism purposes."