African leaders have praised Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe as a liberation hero and committed friend at his funeral in Harare.

Key points: Dignitaries from across the African continent praised Robert Mugabe's anti-colonial legacy

Dignitaries from across the African continent praised Robert Mugabe's anti-colonial legacy Mr Mugabe's successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, sparred with the Mugabe family over the burial

Mr Mugabe's successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, sparred with the Mugabe family over the burial South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa was booed by the crowd

But the 60,000-seat stadium was only about half full, with many Zimbabweans shunning the ceremony in protest at the repression and economic collapse that marked his later years in power.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa walked behind the casket carrying Mr Mugabe's body as it was wheeled into the centre of Harare's National Sports Stadium and placed on a podium decorated with flowers so that heads of state could say their farewells.

Senior army generals, Mr Mugabe's wife, Grace, and his children followed, as a brass band played.

The empty seats were a contrast to scenes last week in the same stadium, when crowds triggered a stampede while attempting to view Mr Mugabe's coffin.

Images of the state funeral showed significant gaps in the Harare National Sports Stadium's stands. ( AP: Themba Hadebe )

Mr Mugabe died in a Singapore hospital on September 6 aged 95, far away from a country that is dealing with hardships left by his decades-long rule.

His remains will be interred in a mausoleum at the National Heroes Acre in the capital Harare in about 30 days, his nephew said on Friday, contradicting earlier comments that a burial would be held on Sunday.

Mugabe's successor papers over simmering tensions

Mr Mnangagwa has advocated for Mugabe's interment in a national heroes monument. ( Reuters: Siphiwe Sibeko )

In a tribute to the man he deposed, Mr Mnangagwa said Mr Mugabe stood in defence of Africans.

He urged the West to remove sanctions that were imposed during Mr Mugabe's rule.

"We who remain shall continue to hear his rich, brave, defiant and inspiring voice ... encouraging and warning us to be vigilant and astute," Mr Mnangagwa said.

"A giant tree of Africa has fallen. Today Africa weeps."

Mr Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU-PF party wanted Mr Mugabe buried at the national shrine to heroes of the 15-year liberation war against white minority rule.

But some relatives, expressing bitterness at the way former comrades ousted Mr Mugabe, had pushed for him to be buried in his home village.

Mr Mugabe was deposed by members of the Zimbabwean military in 2017. ( AP: Ben Curtis )

Walter Chidhakwa, who spoke on behalf of Mr Mugabe's family, said the late leader was an icon who was determined and unflinching in pursuing policies like land reform — where personal militias forcibly took farms from white owners — and later the black economic empowerment program.

Many Zimbabweans also remember Mr Mugabe as their country's liberator, who broadened people's access to education, land and social services.

South African President booed

Cyril Ramaphosa apologised for inter-African xenophobic attacks in South Africa. ( AP: Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi )

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was booed by the crowd in the stadium after a wave of deadly riots and xenophobic attacks in South Africa earlier this month that triggered international anger.

The attacks mainly targeted shops owned by migrants from other parts of Africa.

The master of ceremony was forced to appeal to the crowd to give Mr Ramaphosa a chance to speak.

"I stand before you as a fellow African to express my regret and to apologise for what has happened in our country," Mr Ramaphosa said.

Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta called Mr Mugabe an intellectual giant, "a visionary leader and a relentless champion of African dignity".

African leaders credit Mr Mugabe with being a champion of post-colonial Africa. ( AP: John Parkin, file )

Other heads of state who attended Saturday's funeral included long-ruling leaders from Equatorial Guinea and Congo while China, Russia and Cuba, which supported Zimbabwe's liberation movements that fought white minority rule, were represented by officials.

Prominent officials from Western countries, which were critical of Mr Mugabe's rule, did not feature in the official funeral program.

Banners at the stadium where Mr Mugabe's body lay in state read "Rest in peace Gushungo", a reference to his clan name.

Banners around the stadium referred to Mr Mugabe by his clan name, Gushungo. ( AP: Ben Curtis )

ABC/Reuters