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Lovemore Chikova recently in Lusaka, Zambia

President Mnangagwa arrived back home from Zambia this afternoon after joining other heads of state and government earlier in the day in attending the State funeral for former Zambian President Rupiah Banda, who died last week.

The President was received at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Public Service Commission chairperson Dr Vincent Hungwe, Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution Oliver Chidau, service chiefs and other Government officials.

Addressing President Banda’s State funeral earlier in the day, President Mnangagwa described him as a Pan-Africanist and a regional icon.

Countries represented at the State funeral where hundreds attended included Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, eSwatini, Angola, Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

President Banda was Zambia’s fourth president since independence from Britain in 1964, and he died at his residence on Friday last week at the age of 85 after a two-year battle with colon cancer.