Despite national outcry and criticism from various activist groups in the country, the celebration took 9 million from the tax payers' kitty.

A Zanu PF youth leader Tongai Kasukuwere said that the expenditure was justified as the ceremony isn't just like any other.

"We are not being lavish...we are just celebrating a life...he is the last remaining from African founding fathers and it is worth celebrating, we are not ashamed," he told the media.

The statement further angered the main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which gave a sour public statement.

"As the MDC, we are greatly perturbed to learn that instead of focusing on more serious and pressing national issues such as rehabilitating the country's collapsed public health delivery system as well as the renovation of the nation's dilapidated road and rail infrastructure, Zanu PF has seen it fit to squeeze the sum of $1 million from the country's ailing business sector in order to bankroll the nonagenarian's birthday jamboree in the resort town of Victoria Falls," MDC said in a statement.

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