A state-owned newspaper reported that President Emmerson Mnangagwa made the disclosure while addressing party members in New York where he is attending this week’s United Nations General Assembly, but he did not disclose the type.

Mnangagwa was quoted saying by The Herald newspaper on Monday saying “Treatment had stopped, doctors had stopped treatment, chemotherapy, one, because of age and also because the cancer had spread and it was not helping anymore”.

WikiLeaks reported in 2011 that the former leader had prostate cancer which also affected other organs. The report was denied by top government officials at that time.

The confirmation comes after disagreements between the family and the government about where the former leader should be buried. The family initially said they would prefer to honour Mugabe’s wishes and have him buried next to his mother in his rural home in Kutama, about 85 kilometres from Harare. They then agreed to the symbolic funeral on Sunday in the hope that the real burial would take place at a later date, giving them time to carry out the traditional rituals

Mugabe’s body was returned to Zimbabwe on Wednesday from Singapore, where he died at the age of 95. He had been seeking treatment there for an undisclosed illness since April.

His death was announced by the country’s president, Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe from 1980 to 2017

Emmerson Mnangagwa tweeted “It is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President … Robert Mugabe”