DISGRACED former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko's family has snubbed Zanu PF overtures to have him buried at the Heroes Acre and announced he will be interred at his Bulawayo home instead.

The late Mphoko was one of President Robert Mugabe's last deputies before he was deposed in a 2017 military-led coup that also toppled his leader and replaced him with Emmerson Mnangagwa.

After passing on last week, the ruling Zanu PF party had declared him a national hero, with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga showering praises on him despite having been the face of the coup that hounded him out of office.

Chiwenga glowingly described Mphoko as a resolute giant of the liberation struggle.

That, however, was not enough to convince Mphoko's family.

"On behalf of the family, I hereby confirm that my father's wish has been granted. He will be laid to rest at his home in Bulawayo," said one of his children, Siduduzo Mphoko.

Mnangagwa and his Politburo had hoped Mphoko would sanitise their 2017 actions by having him buried at the national shrine according to sources from within the party.

"The family insisted from the on-set that it was never Cde Report's wish that he be buried at the Heroes Acre," said a source.

"He was yet to forgive individuals responsible for what happened to him in 2017 and we are sure would never have accepted that.

"Despite efforts by Zanu PF to have him buried there, the general thinking by the family was that he would then sanitise the illegal acts of the army, current President and his deputy."

Mphoko's liberation war name was Cde Report.

He was a delegate at the 1979 Lancaster House Conference that determined conditions for Zimbabwe's eventual independence in 1980. He was part of late Vice President Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU delegation.

Mphoko had been relegated to ordinary life, having to deal with a nagging court which periodically demanded that he avail himself at the Harare Magistrate Courts.