The body of Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe has been buried in his rural village of Kutama.

Mugabe died in a Singapore hospital on 6 September, aged 95, almost two years after a military coup ended his despotic 37-year rule.

His remains were laid to rest in the courtyard of his home in the district of Zvimba, about 90km west of the capital Harare.

Hundreds of mourners assembled for the low-key event, which was initially intended to be a private family ceremony.

Many wore white Mugabe-emblazoned T-shirts with the slogans "founding father", "liberator" and "torch bearer".

Some were singing and dancing. Others sat quietly under two white tents set up for the occasion.

Mugabe's widow Grace and his children accompanied the casket, which was drapped in Zimbabwe's green, yellow, red and black flag.

Clad in black, they took place in an elevated VIP tent ahead of the service. 

White flower installations spelled out the words "DAD" and "BABA", meaning "father" in the local Shona language. 

"Our hearts are bleeding because we have lost our father," said the priest, standing next to a portrait of Mugabe framed by white carnations.

"This is a man who made use of the gifts he was given by God. This man was an asset, he was not a liability."

No senior government officials were among the audience.

The Mugabe family opted to bury him in Kutama after weeks of wrangling with the government, who wanted the body to rest at the National Heroes Acre in Harare.

A mausoleum was being constructed at the site, which is reserved for heroes of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle.

"What we have done is his wish," said Grace's older sister Shuvai Gumbochuma, addressing mourners in Shona.

"He (Mugabe) said with his own mouth that he didn't want to be buried at the heroes acre."

Ruling ZANU-PF party described the family's decision as "most unfortunate".

Former guerilla leader Mugabe took power after independence from white minority rule in 1980.

Initially hailed as a pan-African liberator, his rule became increasingly repressive as he cracked down on his political opponents.

This combined with a series of disastrous economic policies that drove millions of Zimbabweans abroad.

Mugabe was eventually toppled by his formerly loyal military generals in 2017.