WATCH: Zanu PF denies wanting to turn Mugabe’s mansion into a museum

Both the Zanu PF-led Zimbabwean government and the party itself have denied that late founding leader of the country Robert Mugabe’s iconic Blue Roof Mansion would be converted into a museum “for the benefit of the party”.

This after several Zimbabwean publications pointed to a post on the Facebook and Twitter page of state-controlled news agency ZBC News, indicated that the country’s governing party was considering this.

“ZANU PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu says the ruling party is considering converting the Blue Roof residence into a museum or a monument that will benefit the party,” a message posted on Monday said.

This was, however, contradicted by another post from ZBC News Online a few hours later, linking to a story indicating that current Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mngangagwa “has made a commitment to transfer the properties of the late national hero to the family”.

Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana, confirmed that President Mnangagwa will keep his promise and transfer the properties to the Mugabe family.

The post includes a video in which government’s spokesperson Nick Mangwana says Mnangagwa “is not a vindictive person, he’s a very magnanimous person”, adding that he is “a very forgiving man”.

“He made commitments that he will look after the family of the late president and he will do everything possible to meet those commitments, and that includes ensuring that the property is transferred to that family,” he said.

Mangwana added that he had spoken to Mpofu, who ZBC said had made the claim that the residence could become a state-owned museum, and said he was in “harmony” with the presidency and Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo that the property would indeed be transferred to the Mugabe family.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman.)