ED invites exiled G40 to return for Mugabe funeral

President Mnangagwa has expressed surprise that some members of former President Robert Mugabe’s family who are not in Zimbabwe are allegedly fearing persecution amidst worries of being barred from attending the funeral.

Mr Patrick Zhuwao, Mugabe’s nephew, is reported to be in “exile” fearing for his life.

This follows after Mugabe family engaged President Mnagangwa on logistics to give the former President a fitting send off.

The Mugabe family requested that the President extends the same assistance to the family to get more members of both Mugabe and Marufu family to travel to Singapore to share in the grief with the former First Lady, Grace and assist with the overall arrangement of the repatriation of the body of the late Mugabe.

Mr Charamba said the family wanted assurance from the President that family members who had either left the country on their own or had gone into self-exile could attend the funeral without fearing arrest.

In response, President Mnangagwa acceded to all the requests by the family.

Said Mr Charamba:

‘‘The President immediately gave instructions to the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Mr Misheck Sibanda, to ensure that the delegation comprising both the Mugabe and Marufu families and party officials and Government representatives depart for Singapore today to support the former First Lady and that a chartered plane must be secured to take them to and from Singapore.

‘‘Secondly, President Mnangangwa expressed surprise that there were some members of the Mugabe family who had left the country without any indication that they were facing any charges. In any event, if this had been made clear to the President, the Mugabe family would be protected against undue victimisation.

“In particular the President could not understand why Patrick Zhuwao had left the country except, possibly, in solidarity with his colleagues, one of whom had in fact been in and out of the country,’’ he said, in apparent reference to another “G40” kingpin, Saviour Kasukuwere.