African heads of state and envoys gather to attend a state funeral for Zimbabwe's founding president.
African heads of state joined thousands of Zimbabweans at a state funeral Saturday for Zimbabwe's founding president, Robert Mugabe , whose burial has been delayed for at least a month until a special mausoleum can be built for his remains.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta described Mugabe as"a great icon of African liberation" and"a visionary leader and relentless champion of African dignity." "A giant tree of Africa has fallen," said Mnangagwa, who hailed Mugabe as"a bold, steadfast revolutionary." He was deposed in 2017 by the military and Mnangagwa in a bloodless coup that was marked by more than 100,000 people demonstrating in Harare's streets to demand that he step down. Following Mugabe's resignation, Mnangagwa took power and won elections the next year on campaign promises he would improve the collapsed economy and create jobs. But Zimbabwe's economy has lurched from crunch to crisis and some in the crowd expressed the view that life was better under Mugabe's rule.
The visiting leaders viewed Mugabe's the partially open casket, followed by a 21-gun salute, a flypast by Zimbabwean air force jets and the release of 95 doves, to mark Mugabe's 95 years. "What will I get if I go there? What will Mugabe do for me now that he failed to do when he was alive?" said Amelia Tukande, who was selling cellphone chargers along Harare's Samora Machel Avenue that leads to the stadium."It is a waste of time. I have to work for my family.""I didn't like him, but I still wanted to attend just to see for myself that he is gone ... but kombis want $3.
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