World

Mugabe’s family clashes with Mnangagwa over plans for state funeral

Published

5 years ago

September 8, 2019

Chaos is brewing in Zimbabwe as Officials and family members are arguing over the arrangements for the burial of Robert Mugabe, the former Zimbabwean president who died in Singapore last week aged 95.

High-ranking members of the ruling Zanu-PF party are understood to have told Mugabe’s close family that his remains should be interred at a hilltop monument outside Harare, the capital, following a ceremony at the nearby national stadium, where dozens of prominent African leaders would be present.

However, friends and allies of Mugabe’s second wife, Grace, have said that the late dictator made it clear he would prefer to be buried at his home town of Zvimba, about 60 miles from Harare, with only close relatives in attendance.

They said that Mugabe, who was ousted in a military takeover in November 2017, did not want his death exploited for political gain by his successors.

Mugabe’s remains have yet to be repatriated from Singapore, where he died in a private clinic. Many of his close family members are there, including his widow, along with a team of senior officials.

“Comrade Mugabe will be buried at the Heroes Acre,” deputy information minister Energy Mutodi said. “That is where he deserves to rest.”

Leo Mugabe, a nephew of Robert Mugabe and a family spokesman, told The Associated Press that the date of the funeral and other details, including when Mugabe’s body will arrive in Zimbabwe, weren’t yet available.

“Arrangements are not in place yet,” he said in a text message.

Located on a hilltop, and built with the help of North Korean architects, the plot has a commanding view of Harare, features a huge bronze statue of three guerrilla fighters and boasts black marble and granite flourishes.

Mugabe is viewed by many as a national hero despite decades of rule that left the country struggling. He was an ex-guerrilla chief who took power in 1980 when Zimbabwe shook off white minority rule and presided for decades while economic turmoil and human rights violations eroded its early promise.

Mugabe had been forced to relinquish power by a previously loyal military in November 2017.

Flags flew at half-staff Saturday, but there were no public activities to mark the death of a man who singularly shaped the once-prosperous country in his own image and created a repressive system that some say remains even today.

Reaction to his death was mixed, although praise ironically came mostly from ruling party officials and military leaders.

The state-run Herald newspaper, which vilified Mugabe when he was forced to resign and when he subsequently voiced support for the opposition, carried glowing tributes.

In a “commemorative edition,” the newspaper, which often acts as a mouthpiece of the government, carried a montage of his pictures with the headline: “Robert Mugabe-1924-2019″ on its front page and glowing reports throughout.

In an editorial page, the newspaper praised Mugabe for “his uncompromising stance when it came to the rights of Africans.”

“Whatever happened towards the end of his leadership should not be used to rubbish the good things that he did during his life,” the commander of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces and one of the commanders who led the military campaign to oust Mugabe after years of propping his rule, was quoted as saying in a separate story in the newspaper.

Others were less charitable. “95 and out,” read the privately-owned Newsday newspaper.

“Despite his intellectual prowess, Mugabe’s failure to let go of power when it was time was his major undoing. In short, he was a liberator who turned villain. Leaders need to know when to draw the line,” said the newspaper in an editorial.

“End of an era as Mugabe dies, leaves Zim poor, divided,” read the front-page headline of another privately-owned newspaper, the Daily News.

“Notwithstanding the many mistakes that he made, many Zimbabweans will probably agree that had he not held on to power beyond the 1990s, he would today be largely remembered as one of Africa’s best leaders in history,” the paper said in an editorial.

Both newspapers were major targets of Mugabe’s vitriol, with editors and reporters routinely arrested during Mugabe’s rule.

On the streets of the capital, Harare, few seemed bothered as people struggled to cope with biting economic problems largely blamed by critics on Mugabe’s rule and perpetuated by his successor and an ally who later turned foe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa took power in 2017 with the help of the military.

“Who cares?” said Percy Maute, a street vendor pushing a cart full of tomatoes along a busy street named after the former president. “I don’t care. I am too busy looking for money to mourn a man who put me in this position.”

A small group of people drank beer and sang pro-Mugabe songs outside a liquor outlet and wore T-shirts with Mugabe’s face. Although only a few people cared to join or commiserate with them, they danced vigorously and spoke glowingly of a man they said fought for the liberation of not just Zimbabwe, but “the rest of Africa.”

“Bob was our hero, he taught us that the white man is not a master,” they sang. Mugabe was popularly known by the nickname Bob.

Source – Harare Live

In Other News – SA and Nigeria committed to close ties following xenophobic attacks

The presidency says the two countries will jointly develop responses to challenges affecting people and businesses in South Africa and Nigeria.

The President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari will undertake a state visit to South Africa in October to reinforce “the strong bonds” between the two countries and jointly develop responses to challenges affecting people and businesses in South Africa and Nigeria.

In the wake of public violence and xenophobic attacks in South Africa and developments in Nigeria around South African businesses based in the West African country, President Cyril Ramaphosa held discussions on Friday with Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, special envoy of the president of Nigeria.

The visit to Pretoria by the special envoy followed a recent meeting between Ramaphosa and Buhari in Yokohama, Japan, on the sidelines of the summit of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. read more

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Mugabe’s Body expected back in Zimbabwe on Wednesday

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SA and Nigeria committed to close ties following xenophobic attacks

South Africa News

Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal

Published

2 weeks ago

March 31, 2024

Addie K

Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal. Manchester City and Arsenal handed Liverpool the advantage in the Premier League title race as they played out a bitterly disappointing goalless stalemate at Etihad Stadium.

Liverpool are now top of the table and two points clear of Arsenal after they came from behind to beat Brighton at Anfield, their delight increased by their two closest rivals cancelling each other out.

This was a game that made a nonsense of its billing as a potential classic, as Arsenal’s containing tactics snuffed out City while the Gunners had only limited chances of their own in a desperately poor affair.

Nathan Ake had an early close-range header saved by Arsenal keeper David Raya before going off injured while former City striker Gabriel Jesus posed an occasional threat, just failing to connect with Bukayo Saka’s cross inches from goal after the break.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be happier than City counterpart Pep Guardiola with this outcome – but the real winners were Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.

Guardiola’s side were under greater pressure to win this match but their usual fluent passing game was rarely in evidence, stifled by the visitors’ organisation and infuriated by referee Anthony Taylor’s reluctance to punish the Gunners for a succession of infringements.

It led to a scrappy, disjointed game in which City were never allowed to gather their usual momentum and rhythm, with even the best efforts of master creators Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva unable to carve out meaningful opportunities for Erling Haaland, who was kept on the margins throughout.

The hosts held sway in possession for most of the second half but it was illustrative of the game that Raya barely had an anxious moment, his counterpart Stefan Ortega also idle for long periods.

Indeed, it is the first time City have failed to score at home in the Premier League since October 2021, a run of 47 games.

The reigning champions, as usual, will remain confident of retaining their title but Guardiola will be bitterly disappointed at his side’s failure to trouble Arsenal, with substitute Jack Grealish on the end of some lengthy post-match advice from his manager.

City are back here at Etihad Stadium to face in-form Aston Villa on Wednesday night knowing they cannot afford any more slip-ups in this tight Premier League title pursuit.

Arsenal arrived at Manchester City with a point to make and a chance to show their improvement at a ground where they have had a miserable record in the past.

The Gunners last won here in January 2015, drawing one and losing eight of their subsequent nine visits before this game.

Here, Arteta set his side out to be fiercely drilled and well-organised to frustrate, a strategy seemingly designed to earn the point they secured rather than risk more for victory.

It was a conservative approach but what it did demonstrate was that Arsenal do have more resilience and character than on previous occasions, when they have sometimes capitulated under City’s attacking assault.

Arteta’s side were composed but also willing to throw bodies on the line when danger threatened, not that they were ever in serious peril of conceding – a tribute to their display in itself.

They have kept clean sheets in both games against Manchester City this season, making them only the fourth team to shut out a Guardiola side twice in the same season.

Whether this is one point gained or two lost remains to be seen, but Arteta seemed satisfied enough at the final whistle.

source – BBC

South Africa News

A Comprehensive launch of New South African Online Casino Portal

Published

4 weeks ago

March 22, 2024

Addie K

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South Africa News

Corps members have been warned against traveling without obtaining permission

Published

2 months ago

February 22, 2024

Nancy M

Corps members have been warned against traveling without obtaining permission from the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed says such act attracts punishment while addressing Corps members in Oyo and Ogun states orientation camp on Wednesday.

He said unauthorized journey attract sanctions, adding that no employer is allowed to grant permission to Corps members to travel.He informed the Corps members that all services in NYSC are free, warning that they should beware of online advertisers and fraudsters that may offer posting and redeployment to them for a fee.

The DG also implored the Corps members to adhere strictly to the NYSC dress code, adding that improper dressing in NYSC uniform attracts sanctions.

“Don’t dress anyhow. Dress as good ambassadors of NYSC and always abide by all NYSC rules and regulations,

“Respect the culture and tradition of your host communities when you leave camp. Make good impact on the communities and in your place of primary assignments”, the DG said.

He stated that efforts are still on-going towards the signing of the NYSC Trust Fund bill into law.

General Ahmed urged the Corps Members to participate actively in all the camp activities and also ensure that they establish long lasting friendship among themselves before leaving the Orientation Camp.

The Director General admonished them to avoid idleness but rather engage themselves with meaningful activities that will add value to them in addition to their certificates.

The NYSC Oyo State Coordinator, Mr Odoba Abel Oche, while presenting the Orientation Camp brief to the Director General, stated that the Corps members’ behaviour have been very commendable.

Similarly, the NYSC Ogun State Coordinator, Mrs Olayinka Nasamu, said a total of 2,350 Corps members have been registered. 1,318 for Ogun State and 1,032 for Lagos State.

“Ogun registered 496 male and 822 female while Lagos registered 414 male and 618 female”, Nasamu said.

Source: dailypost