Zimbabwe's late opposition leader Tsvangirai to be buried in his rural home

HARARE, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Late MDC-T leader and former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai will be buried in Buhera, his rural home in Manicaland Province, on Monday, state broadcaster ZBC reported Friday.

The ZBC said Tsvangirai's body will arrive back home from South Africa on Saturday and lie in state at the Tsvangirai residence in Harare.

On Sunday, the body will be taken to the Robert Mugabe Square in the outskirts of the capital for a public farewell.

Thereafter the body will be taken to Humanikwa Village in Buhera, where he will be buried next to his first wife Susan Tsvangirai on Monday.

Tsvangirai died in South Africa on Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 65.

The Zimbabwe government, which has been helping foot Tsvangirai's medical bills, has accorded him a state-assisted funeral.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday led the nation in paying tribute to the late opposition leader, who was the face of opposition politics in Zimbabwe.

"A strong trade unionist and opposition leader, the late Tsvangirai will be remembered, especially for his readiness to stretch and reach out across the political divide for a Government of National Unity after the polarized 2008 polls," Mnangagwa said.

He said his government will do everything possible to ensure the departed opposition leader gets a dignified send-off. Enditem