President Robert Mugabe arrived in Gaborone, Botswana, Wednesday evening for the late president Sir Ketumile Quett Masire’s burial set for Thursday.

President Mugabe, who is accompanied by nine cabinet ministers and other several other Zimbabweans, will join several regional leaders, including former South African president Thabo Mbeki and Lesotho’s King Letsie III, expected to arrive in the country late Wednesday.

Masire, who died last week Thursday, aged 91, will be buried in his home village of Kanye, about 100 kilometers south of the capital.

The Zimbabwean president and Masire shared a special bond and Mr. Mugabe frequently visited his Botswana counterpart between 1980 to 1998.

President Mugabe last visited Masire’s home village in 2013 to pay his respects to the former Botswana president’s wife, Gladys.

Masire took over as Botswana president when the country’s first leader, Sir Seretse Khama, died in office in 1980.

Masire died in Gaborone after being taken ill on a shopping trip in Gaborone.