Former Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe dies

HARARE (Web Desk) – Former Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe has died aged 95 after battling ill health, it has been confirmed. According to the media reports, the former Zimbabwe president passed away in Singapore, current president Emmerson Mnangagwa tweeted this morning. It is pertinent to mention here that Robert Mugabe, who was overthrown in a coup, was the first post independence leader of the African country. It is believed he had been receiving treatment there since April. Mugabe had led Zimbabwe in 1980 before being ousted from power after a military coup in 2017. Nearly four decades after the country's independence from Britain in 1980, he was regarded by many as a tyrant, willing to unleash death squads, rig elections and trash the economy in the relentless pursuit of power. President Mnangagwa this morning tweeted: "It is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe's founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe. Mugabe was 95 years-old, and a former military officer. His decades-old dictatorship was overthrown last November by the army chief of Zimbabwean military. After the army briefly took power, Mugabe's exit became inevitable — but the veteran autocrat dug his heels in with one last, defiant performance. He appeared on live television a few days later, November 19, with the world tuning in, expecting his resignation. Mugabe instead appeared unfazed, slowly reading his speech as he pledged to stay in office — while the uniformed military generals who had taken power sat fidgeting by his side. He acknowledged the army's "concerns" but claimed the military intervention did not challenge his authority. He resigned two days later, by letter.