Robert Mugabe, the first leader of Zimbabwe after the country secured its independence, has died at the age of 95. He was a hero of Africa’s independence struggle at the beginning of his 37 years in power, but his rule later became notorious for its tyranny and human-rights abuses. He won Zimbabwe’s first election after it gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1980 and was in power until he was ousted by a military coup in 2017. His successor and former deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, expressed his “utmost sadness” at Mugabe’s death, saying he’ll be remembered as “an icon of liberation, a pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people.” The BBC reported Mugabe died in Singapore, where he’s been receiving medical treatment since April.
