'Gucci Grace' Mugabe pays last respects to her dictator husband as his burial is delayed for a MONTH while a special mausoleum is built amid row with family over his final resting place as African leaders gather for his funeral in Zimbabwe

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Grace Mugabe paid her final respects to her dictator husband Robert today at an open casket ceremony in Zimbabwe attended by African leaders.

It took place amid a row between the Mugabe family and the government over where the country's strongman founder will be buried.

Mugabe's wife, known as Gucci Grace for her lavish spending habits, wanted Robert to be buried at his homstead in a snub to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a once trusted adviser who ousted the dictator.

But the new leader, dubbed 'the Crocodile' after making a sudden and brazen power grab, wanted Mugabe to be interred at the national Heroes' Acre monument.

The two sides eventually agreed to build a mausoleum at the monument which means the burial will be delayed for around 30 days. 

Several African heads of state who led similarly corrupt and oppressive regimes joined the masses in Harare to celebrate Mugabe's life.  

Mugabe led Zimbabwe for 37 years, from independence until he was ousted by the army in November 2017. He died in a Singapore hospital on September 6, aged 95.

The service and viewing of the body of Mugabe, who died last week in Singapore at age 95, was at the National Sports Stadium in the capital. 

Grace Mugabe led mourners today at the funeral of her husband Robert Mugabe, who led Zimbabwe for 37 years until he was ousted by current president Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2017. Above: Grace wears a black shroud as looks into her late husband's open coffin

Mugabe's casket was flanked by military leaders as it was led into the National Sports Stadium in Harare. It was trailed by Grace Mugabe and other family members  

Mugabe led Zimbabwe for 37 years, from independence until he was ousted by the army in November 2017. He died in a Singapore hospital on September 6, aged 95. Above: The former president's casket arrives for a state funeral at the National Sports Stadium in Harare. 

Grace Mugabe is escorted by her son Bellarmine Chatunga, 22, who is known for his champagne lifestyle and nicknamed the 'Undertaker' by his father after he received six U grades in his A Levels

Mugabe's casket was displayed on a podium at the National Sports Stadium and members of the military stood silently in front

Former South African president Jacob Zuma, who was kicked out of office in February 2018 amid a raft of corruption allegations and is now facing the prospect of a trial on charges of racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud, paid his respects at the open casket of Mugabe

'Gucci Grace' (left), known for her expensive shopping sprees, wore a black lace veil at the ceremony and President Emmerson Mnangagwa was in tears. President Mnangagwa has been dubbed 'the Crocodile' after making a brazen grab for power in Zimbabwe

The move to have him buried in Harare marks a victory for Emmerson Mnangagwa after Mugabe's widow - known as Gucci Grace for her lavish spending habits - is believed to have wanted him buried at his homstead. Above: Medics treat a woman who had collapsed during the funeral

Mnangagwa (pictured with his wife at his predecessor's funeral today), who ousted Mugabe from power in a coup in 2017, said late on Friday that building the mausoleum would delay the burial of the man who was once his mentor. Above: Manangagwa watches the funeral proceedings

The move to have him buried in Harare marks a victory for Mnangagwa, who insisted he deserved a place at the shrine.   

One of the late leader's final wishes was for his wife, Grace Mugabe, to never leave Mr Mugabe's casket during the funeral up until the point when he is buried.

Abiding by his wish, Grace was seen walking behind his casket along with other family members before she paid her respects when his coffin was displayed at the National Sports Stadium. 

Grace had been forced to flee the country under threat of investigation for corruption, and only agreed to return to Zimbabwe for the funeral after being given assurances she would not be arrested.

Since the coup she had been living with Mugabe in Singapore where he was receiving treatment for cancer, among other ailments. 

She was seen at today's ceremony alongside son Bellarmine Chatunga, nicknamed 'the Undertaker' by his father after scoring six U grades in his A Levels.

The notorious 'bad boy' is known for showing off his wealth on Instagram and recently posted a video of himself pouring a £400 bottle of Armand de Brignac Champagne over his diamond-encrusted watch.

More than 10 African leaders and several former presidents spoke in praise of Mr Mugabe at the service today in the Chinese-built stadium, which attracted a crowd filling about 30% of its 60,000 capacity.

Most of those attending were supporters of Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa drew boos from the crowd, as a result of the recent attacks in Johannesburg on foreigners, including Zimbabweans.

An official pleaded with the stadium crowd to let him speak. Mr Ramaphosa apologised for the attacks.

Joseph Kabila, the former president of the Republic of Congo who was the chieftain of a 'child army' in a 1990s genocide during his rise to power, also paid his respects to Mugabe. Kabila, whose country has been ravaged by internal conflicts, was accused of refusing to relinquish power at the end of his two-term presidency. International observers also slammed him for fiddling the country's constitution

Kenneth Kaunda, who was Zambia's first president following its independence from British rule and led the country for nearly 30 years, used a walking stick as he paid his respects. During his presidency, Kaunda ruled as a virtual dictator after all rival parties were outlawed. 

Malawi's president Peter Mutharika was among current African leaders to give his farewell to the former Zimbabwean leader

Sahle-Work Zewde, the first female president of Ethiopia, also paid her respects. She was one of 10 African leaders to join mourners at Mugabe's funeral

Zimbabwean leader Emmerson Mnangagwa greeted other African leaders including former South African president Jacob Zuma. Cyril Ramaphosa, the current South African president, also made a speech at the funeral

Mnangagwa walked behind the casket carrying Mugabe's body as it was wheeled into the centre of Harare's National Sports Stadium and placed on a podium decorated with flowers so that ordinary Zimbabweans could say their farewells. 

Senior army generals and Mugabe's wife and children followed, as a brass band played.

'Today, let us put aside our differences and come together as we remember the past and look to the future as one proud, independent and free nation,' the president wrote on Twitter.

Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU-PF party wanted Mugabe buried at the national shrine to heroes of the 15-year liberation war against white minority rule. 

But some relatives, expressing bitterness at the way former comrades ousted Mugabe, had pushed for him to be buried in his home village.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who also chairs the African Union, Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta and long-ruling leaders from Equatorial Guinea and Congo were among heads of state attending Saturday's event.

Banners at the stadium where Mugabe's body lay in state ahead of the funeral read 'Hamba kahle, Gushungo,' (go well, Gushungo)', a reference to his clan name, and 'Pioneer of nationalist politics'.

The former Zimbabwean leader's coffin was wheeled into the stadium flanked by military leaders and trailed by his wife Grace and the current president Mnangagwa

Grace Mugabe fulfilled her late husband's dying wish by remaining by his casket during the funeral. Until Thursday Grace Mugabe (pictured left two days ago) had been insisting that her former husband (right) be buried in private in what would have been a snub to the government. It is thought Mugabe was lining her up as successor until the coup

More than 10 African leaders and several former presidents spoke in praise of Mr Mugabe at the service in the Chinese-built stadium, which attracted a crowd filling about 30% of its 60,000 capacity

Mnangagwa, who ousted Mugabe from power in a coup in 2017, said late on Friday that building the mausoleum would delay the burial of the man who was once his mentor. Above: Women in the stands at the National Sports Stadium hold posters of the former Zimbabwean president

The woman was carried out of the stadium on a stretcher. Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU-PF party wanted Mugabe buried at the national shrine to heroes of the 15-year liberation war against white minority rule

The casket of the former president was covered by the national flag and was followed by members of Mugabe's family, as well as current president Mnangagwa 

His remains will be interred in a mausoleum at the National Heroes Acre in the capital Harare in about 30 days, his nephew said on Friday, contradicting earlier comments that a burial would be held on Sunday. Above: Mourners scramble for Zimbabwean flags as Mugabe's coffin arrives

Thousands of mourners attended today's funeral as they gathered to pay their respects to the ousted former leader

Ordinary Zimbabweans gathered to pay their respects to Mugabe but there appeared to be a lot of empty space in the audience

One banner which was being displayed ahead of the arrival of Mugabe's coffin read, 'Go well our revolutionary icon'. The funeral attracted a crowd filling about 30% of the National Stadium's 60,000 capacity

The arrival of Mugabe's coffin at the stadium was greeted by soldiers who lined a red carpet as the late president's remains were carried through it

Cleo Mapuranga, a caterer, told Reuters: 'I feel low because Mugabe fought for us. I remember him for land to the blacks, economic freedom and higher education which was non-racial.'

'Now, people are suffering. No one is controlling the prices in the shops. Our finance minister is trying to implement first-world policies which don't work in third-world countries.'

Mugabe's death has made some Zimbabweans question what Mnangagwa has achieved in his two years in power.

His government has taken steps to cut the budget deficit, remove subsidies on fuel and power and repeal laws curbing public and media freedoms, but those reforms and austerity measures have compounded ordinary people's hardships.

Mugabe was feted as a champion of racial reconciliation when he came to power in 1980 in one of the last African states to throw off white colonial rule.

By the time he was toppled in 2017 to wild celebrations across the country of 13 million, he was viewed by many at home and abroad as a power-obsessed autocrat who unleashed death squads, rigged elections and ruined the economy to keep control.  

His reign was marked by murder, bloodshed, torture, persecution of political opponents, intimidation and vote-rigging on a grand scale and there was jubilation in the streets of Zimbabwe when he was toppled in 2017.

Under Mugabe's leadership, which made him a pariah in the West, the economy of a mineral-rich country descended into chaos with thousands of people reduced to grinding poverty after land reforms which boosted Mugabe's personal wealth.