FACT CHECK: Did The Zimbabwean President Drive A Bus To Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral?
An image shared on Facebook allegedly shows Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa driving a bus with other African leaders to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Verdict: False
This image is miscaptioned. A reverse image search found that the image of Mnangagwa is from 2019, long predating the queen’s funeral.
Fact Check:
Queen Elizabeth’s funeral took place Sept. 19 at Westminister Abbey in London, according to CNBC. There were approximately 2,000 guests in attendance, including about 500 monarchs and heads of government, the outlet reported.
Now, a Facebook post claims to show Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa driving a bus to the queen’s funeral, featuring photos of the president and other unidentified leaders alongside photos of U.S. President Joe Biden and his vehicle, “The Beast.”
“African Presidents were driven in a bus. Driver: Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa,” the post’s caption reads in part. “They all went to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s burial in London.”
It is true that Kenyan President William Ruto and other heads of state were bussed to the funeral, according to Kenyan news outlet The Capital, which also features one of the photos included in the Facebook post. Ruto also rode with Tanzanian counterpart Samia Suluhu, the outlet reported.
The claim that Mnangagwa drove a bus to the funeral is false, however. (RELATED: Are Funerals Scheduled For September 19 Canceled Due To The Queen’s Funeral?)
A reverse image search reveals that the image dates to 2019 when Mnangagwa commissioned several buses as a part of a new public transport system, according to Zimbabwean news outlet Nehanda Radio.
The Zimbabwean president did not attend the queen’s funeral but had Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Frederick Shava representing him instead, Zimbabwean-based news outlet New Ziana reports.
This is not the first time misinformation has spread online regarding the queen’s funeral. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim that former President Donald Trump had been banned from attending the funeral.
