Mugabe mausoleum construction begins

CONSTRUCTION of a mausoleum for former President Cde Robert Mugabe has started with preparatory work at the site commencing while work on the design is still to be completed.

In an interview yesterday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Deputy Minister Jennifer Mhlanga said initial construction work had already commenced.

“What the nation might want to know is that work has commenced. In as far as design is concerned, yes, work is being done. The costs will only be known once we have the design,” said Deputy Minister Mhlanga.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage secretary Mr Melusi Matshiya said they were co-ordinating efforts with the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

“Yes, work is going on but the lead Ministry is that of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing when it comes to construction work,” said Mr Matshiya.

A newscrew from our sister paper, The Herald, that visited the National Heroes’ Acre yesterday witnessed the moving in of earthmoving equipment and personnel.

Government conferred a special honour on the country’s ex-leader, Cde Mugabe, and decided to construct a mausoleum at the National Heroes’ Acre’s hilltop where the former leader will be buried.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), President Mnangagwa, told journalists last Friday that Cde Mugabe would only be buried upon completion of the mausoleum, to be built at the apex of the hill that hosts the national shrine.

President Mnangagwa said this at State House after meeting Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who is among Heads of State and Government that came to pay their condolences.

President Mnangagwa said he was not sure about the timeframe that it would take to complete construction of the structure.

A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people.