Robert Mugabe will be buried at a hilltop shrine reserved exclusively for Zimbabwe's ruling elite, an official said on Saturday, as sourn African nation began several days of official mourning. date for funeral has been set, and it's t clear when Robert Mugabe's body will arrive from Singapore, where he died Friday.

Robert Mugabe, who was 95, will be buried at National Heroes Acre, which has been set aside for Zimbabweans who have me huge sacrifices during war against white-mirity rule and who dedicated mselves to nation, which emerged from ashes of colonial Rhodesia.

"We don't have date yet," deputy information minister Energy Mutodi said. 

RE| Zimbabwe's former President Robert Mugabe dies at of 95

"That is still in hands of family and president, but comre Mugabe will be buried at Heroes Acre. That is where he deserves to rest." Located on a hilltop, and built with help of rth Korean architects, plot has a commanding view of Harare, features a huge bronze statue of three guerrilla fighters and boasts black marble and granite flourishes.

Mugabe is viewed by many as a national hero despite deces of rule that left country struggling. He was an ex-guerrilla chief who took power in 1980 when Zimbabwe shook off white mirity rule and presided for deces while ecomic turmoil and human rights violations eroded its early promise.

Robert Mugabe h been forced to relinquish power by a previously loyal military in vember 2017.

Reactions to Robert Mugabe's death

Flags flew at half-staff on Saturday, but re were public activities to mark death of a man who singularly shaped once-prosperous country in his own im and created a repressive system that some say remains even today.

Reaction to his death was mixed, although praise ironically came mostly from ruling party officials and military leers. state-run Herald newspaper, which vilified Robert Mugabe when he was forced to resign and when he subsequently voiced support for opposition, carried glowing tributes.

In a "commemorative edition," newspaper, which often acts as a mouthpiece of government, carried a mont of his pictures with heline: "Robert Mugabe-1924-2019" on its front p and glowing reports throughout. In an editorial p, newspaper praised Robert Mugabe for "his uncompromising stance when it came to rights of Africans." 

RE| Anti-fuel price hike protests continue in Zimbabwe, social media sites blocked

"Whatever happened towards end of his leership should t be used to rubbish good things that he did during his life," commander of Zimbabwe Defense Forces and one of commanders who led military campaign to oust Mugabe after years of propping his rule, was quoted as saying in a separate story in newspaper.

Ors were less charitable. "95 and out," re privately-owned Newsday newspaper.

"Despite his intellectual prowess, Mugabe's failure to let go of power when it was time was his major undoing. In short, he was a liberator who turned villain. Leers need to kw when to draw line," said newspaper in an editorial.

"End of an era as Mugabe dies, leaves Zim poor, divided," re front-p heline of ar privately-owned newspaper, Daily News.

"twithstanding many mistakes that he me, many Zimbabweans will probably agree that h he t held on to power beyond 1990s, he would today be largely remembered as one of Africa's best leers in history," paper said in an editorial.

Both newspapers were major targets of Mugabe's vitriol, with editors and reporters routinely arrested during Mugabe's rule.

On streets of capital, Harare, few seemed bored as people struggled to cope with biting ecomic problems largely blamed by critics on Mugabe's rule and perpetuated by his successor and an ally who later turned foe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa took power in 2017 with help of military.

RE| Zimbabwe president cuts short foreign tour over protests

"Who cares?" said Percy Maute, a street vendor pushing a cart full of tomatoes along a busy street named after former president. "I don't care. I am too busy looking for money to mourn a man who put me in this position." 

A small group of people drank beer and sang pro-Mugabe songs outside a liquor outlet and wore T-shirts with Mugabe's face.  Although only a few people cared to join or commiserate with m, y danced vigorously and spoke glowingly of a man y said fought for liberation of t just Zimbabwe, but " rest of Africa." 

"Bob was our hero, he taught us that white man is t a master," y sang. Mugabe was popularly kwn by nickname Bob