Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's first post-independence leader, has died aged 95
6-09-2019, 18:26

Font size: [ A+ ] / [ A- ]

 

Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's first post-independence leader, has died aged 95.

His family confirmed his death to the BBC. Mr Mugabe had been receiving treatment in a hospital in Singapore since April.

He was ousted in a military coup in 2017 after 37 years in power.

Mr Mugabe's early years were praised for broadening access to health and education for the black majority - but his later years were marked by rights abuses and corruption.

He won Zimbabwe's first election after it secured independence from the UK, becoming prime minister in 1980.

He abolished the office in 1987, becoming president instead.

His successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, expressed his "utmost sadness", calling Mr Mugabe "an icon of liberation".

Mr Mnangagwa had been Mr Mugabe's deputy before replacing him.

Who was Robert Mugabe?

Mr Mugabe was born on 21 February 1924 in what was then Rhodesia - a British colony, run by its white minority.

He was imprisoned for more than a decade without trial after criticising the government of Rhodesia in 1964.

n 1973, while still in prison, he was chosen as president of the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu), of which he was a founding member.

Once released, he headed to Mozambique, from where he directed guerrilla raids into Rhodesia. But he was also seen as a skilled negotiator.

Political agreements to end the crisis resulted in the new independent Republic of Zimbabwe.

With his high profile in the independence movement, Mr Mugabe secured an overwhelming victory in the republic's first election.

But over his decades in power, international perceptions soured, with an increasing number of critics portraying Mr Mugabe as a kind of dictator.

In 2000, facing serious political opposition for the first time, he seized white-owned farms to resettle black farmers, causing economic disruption but boosting his popularity among supporters.

Around the same time, pro-Mugabe militias used violence to influence political outcomes. In 2008, when he lost the first round of the presidential election, attacks on the opposition resulted in his rival pulling out of the contest.

He famously declared that only god could remove him from office.

He was forced into sharing power in 2009 amid economic collapse, installing rival Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister.

But in 2017, amid concerns that he was grooming his wife Grace as his successor, the army - his long-time ally - turned against the president and forced him to step down.

What has the reaction been?

Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi, of Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, told the BBC the party was "very much saddened" by his death.

"As a government, we are very much with the family members of the Mugabe family," he said.

"He was a principled man: he could not change easily over his beliefs. He's a man who believed himself, he's a man who believed in what he did and he is a man who was very assertive in whatever he said.

"This was a good man."

Not everyone agreed, however.

Zimbabwean Senator David Coltart, who was once labelled "an enemy of the state" by Mr Mugabe, said his legacy was marred by his adherence to violence as a political tool.

"He was always committed to violence, going all the way back to the 1960s... he was no Martin Luther King," he told the BBC World Service. "He never changed in that regard."

But he acknowledged that there was another side to Robert Mugabe - "a man who indeed had a great passion for education - and I think he mellowed in his later years.

"There's a lot of affection towards him, because we must never forget that he was the person primarily responsible for ending oppressive white minority rule."

The government of neighbouring South Africa tweeted its condolences, labelling Mr Mugabe "a fearless pan-Africanist liberation fighter".

The BBC's Shingai Nyoka, in the capital Harare, said Mr Mugabe was likely to be remembered for his early achievements.

In his later years, people had called him all sorts of names, but now is probably the time when Zimbabweans will think back to his 37 years in power, she said.

There's a saying here - that whoever dies becomes a hero, and we're likely to see that now, our correspondent adds.


Robert Mugabe - key dates

1924: Born. Later trains as a teacher

1964: Imprisoned by Rhodesian government

1980: Wins post-independence elections

1996: Marries Grace Marufu

2000: Loses referendum - pro-Mugabe militias invade white-owned farms and attack opposition supporters

2008: Comes second in first round of elections to Tsvangirai, who pulls out of run-off following nationwide attacks on his supporters

2009: Amid economic collapse, swears in Tsvangirai as prime minister, who serves in uneasy government of national unity for four years

2017: Sacks long-time ally Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, paving the way for his wife Grace to succeed him

November 2017: Army intervenes and forces him to step down

 

BBC.COM

 

Comments: 45376
#3296   Deangelo
      
Remember, exterior lights guests, the harder expense likewise
allows be attached. More people means bigger spaces, more chairs,
tables, decorations, and food. About to also mean you will need more
help for it run smoothly, not to say cleaning way up.


Look into my webpage ... renting bridal
gowns
3 February 2022 02:46
#3295   Katrin
      
As customer is motivated to spread their legs several embarrassing positions, acting in a matter of fact way, treating
it as normal, will a person feel just a little less self-conscious.
Remember, that's how the aesthetician views it.


Feel free to surf to my web blog: cbd Chocolate near Me
3 February 2022 02:46
#3294   Nida
      
Right away I am going away to do my breakfast, when having
my breakfast coming again to read additional news.


Feel free to visit my blog post; cbd Gummies poole
3 February 2022 02:40
#3293   Alberto
      
If you want to crack reCaptchas with the fastest possible
speed and with the greatest accuracy, the XEvil 5.0 is the tool for you.
With over 12000 subtypes for captchas, the XEvil 5.0 will give you the edge over the rest of the competition.
3 February 2022 02:38
#3292   Moises
      
If your window
repair near me
does not perform, it's time to replace it.
This window can be expensive for your home, so be sure you purchase a guarantee.
3 February 2022 02:36
#3291   Virgil
      
Ghost car immobiliser stops theft of precious metal and
is an effective vehicle immobilizer. The system makes use of CAN Data Networks (to detect the presence of a vehicle
that is stolen) and is easily altered to fit any type of vehicle.
3 February 2022 02:35
#3290   Anglea
      
Do enjoy watching your favorite player or team in a certain sports?
Most, if not all, big sports fans would at times make a bet on which player or team
would win within a sporting race. Fans do exploring
just enjoyment.

Feel free to visit my blog post: togel singapore
3 February 2022 02:33
#3289   Lela
      
Know the teams. Do your research on the teams. You can check if one team has a better chance of
winning by looking at their past performances, injuries, and training records.
This will help you make a wise choice when it comes time to choose a team.


Feel free to visit my web blog :: games (Me.Lkii.Ub.Liudok.B.Lea.D.I@Sorina.Viziru.7@E.Xped.It.Io.N.Eg.D.G@Burton.Rene@ww
w.kartaly.surnet.ru
)
3 February 2022 02:33
#3288   Lilly
      
Locks have been constructed from wooden lengthy, lengthy past.
They have amazed, confounded, and annoyed individuals over time.
They have made some folks and firms rich (the inventors and producers)
and made others cozy.

My blog post: smith lock
Near me
3 February 2022 02:32
#3287   Rueben
      
Sometimes a mason will make use of the tape from opposite ends of the wall.
The hooked end of it is easy to connect the brand new
hooked end of another. Then when you pull the tape back 1 end,
it can be pull the other end can.

My web page local Electrician near me
3 February 2022 02:32
#3286   Doris
      
Looking online you discover several perfume sites which give a super easy comparison of price between perfumes.
This will be significant if you are considering cheap scents.


Feel free to visit my web-site; Armani Code Sale
3 February 2022 02:32
#3285   Tod
      
Most fresh fruits and vegetable should be put in the narrow american style Fridge freezers.
If something arrived home bruised, cut out the damaged part and
use what's left the 24 hour.
3 February 2022 02:31
#3284   Louisa
      
Another way to make money is with a football
betting robot. As well as straightforward backing
and laying it's also possible to trade for a profit on Betfair.


Here is my site - Sports, https://xxxchat.site/Brigittecoun,
3 February 2022 02:29
#3283   Michel
      
Once some of the studies are done, is actually an nothing
including a first-hand working experience.

Look into my homepage :: Window And Door
Repairs
3 February 2022 02:23
#3282   Norma
      
Hemp is a botanical class which includes cultivars
of Cannabis sativa. It is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, despite its many applications.
It can be used cannabidiol for sale creating a wide range of products, including paper and clothing.
3 February 2022 02:22
#3281   Bradly
      
The material used for repairing double glazing differs.

The cost can differ based on the materials that is used. In some cases replacement of the window may cost a little more than fixing a
broken seal.
3 February 2022 02:22
#3280   Jaxon
      
Parlay Betting. To enter a parlay or "multi", we connect two
(or often more) of the outcomes to make a bet.

If one of the outcomes doesn't happen, the bet will lose.
Parlays are higher risk for higher reward.

Also visit my blog :: casino - June,
3 February 2022 02:19
#3279   Julieta
      
Many sports betting websites offer different benefits to their members.

Members typically get additional benefits.
Members may receive free bets, additional funds, and many other benefits.


Stop by my web page; online (Clair)
3 February 2022 02:19
#3278   Freya
      
You may have to replace the window lock repair
lock in case it has become damaged. To repair it, you need
to dismantle the entire locking mechanism, remove the damaged parts, then replace them with
new ones.
3 February 2022 02:18
#3277   Eddie
      
Be familiar with the rules. In sports, betting isn't just the betting of the team that will win the game.

In fact, betting on the favorite to win may put you
in the advantage of winning.

Have a look at my web blog: slots, http://wwwondi.josh%40i.nsult.i.ngp.a.t.l@askswin.psend.com?a%5b%5d=casino+%28%3
ca+Href%3dhttps%3a%2f%2fthemusculartherapycenter.com%2f%3ethemusculartherapycent
er.com%3c%2fa%3e%29%3cmeta+http-equiv%3drefresh+content%3d0%3burl%3dhttps%3a%2f%
2fthemusculartherapycenter.com%2f+%2f%3e
,
3 February 2022 02:16
Add Comments

Name:*
E-Mail:
  Geo Keyboard  
 

Dear reader, guardian.ge welcomes your comments. Please express your views on topic and be respectful of others.

bold italic underline strike | align left centered align right | Ensert smilies insert linkInsert protected URL Choice the color | hidden text insert quote Convert selected text from transliteration to Cyrillic alphabet Insert spoiler

Code: *