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Forward Nyanyiwa Herald Correspondent
Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Victor Matemadanda says he will attend the funeral of former President Robert Mugabe since it was a national event.

Cde Matemadanda said he will also be attending the funeral to support President Mnangagwa.

The declaration by the tough-talking Cde Matemadanda puts to rest unconfirmed social media reports that the Zanu-PF Political Commissar and war veterans’ secretary general has been barred from attending the funeral wake.

Speaking on a live radio programme on Classic 263 on Monday, Cde Matemadanda said he was going to attend as Cde Mugabe was not a family person but a national asset.

He said no family member has the right to decide who attends a funeral and who doesn’t.

“I am going to attend the funeral as a leader in the Zanu-PF hierarchy and to support my President Cde Mnangagwa,” said Cde Matemadanda.

“No one in the Mugabe family has the right to decide who attends; they are too small for that, not at this juncture. They don’t tell us how to bury our heroes, they are not heroes.

“(Cde) Mugabe is a national person and as such, I will attend and if they don’t want me to view the body then I don’t mind but I will be there as a war veteran and a Government minister.” Cde Matemadanda said he has not yet withdrawn what he said about the late Cde Mugabe during the infamous interface rallies.

“Let everyone be reminded that I haven’t withdrawn what I said about (Cde) Mugabe that Zimbabwe was not a family dynasty. I still stick to that up to this day. Zimbabwe is not a dynasty.

“People must know that I was representing all war veterans when I made those remarks. But that does not mean someone has to bar me from attending the funeral; no it’s too late now.

“In our culture, we don’t fight over dead people and who can want to do that. He (Cde Mugabe) was a human who had his mistakes but we will give him a befitting send off,” he added. Cde Matemadanda’s intervention follows reports that some Mugabe Family members had banished him from attending the funeral wake of the former President allegedly on the basis of what he said at the height of factional fights in the revolutionary party.