How an autocratic strain of pan-Africanism of the early 1960s sheds light on Mugabe’s seemingly contradictory roles as freedom fighting anti-colonial nationalist, followed by a dictatorial, repressive presidency.
The recent spate of obituaries on the late former president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, have wrestled with efforts to balance the apparent discrepancy between his contributions to the country’s liberation struggle versus his betrayal of human rights and justice while head of Zimbabwe for nearly four decades. However, a closer inspection of Mugabe’s early political record indicates that this chasm is not nearly so paradoxical as the surface view suggests.
While revelries of Mugabe’s pan-Africanism, as embodied ina tweetby Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa announcing his predecessor’s death, are largely responsible for the spate of interest in the 95-year-old’s passing, Mugabe’s commitment to the ideology was a double-edged sword.
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaIt is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe (1/2)President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaCde Mugabe was an icon of liberation, a pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people. His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten.
May his soul rest in eternal peace (2/2)
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaIt is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe (1/2)President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaCde Mugabe was an icon of liberation, a pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people. His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten. May his soul rest in eternal peace (2/2)
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaIt is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe (1/2)
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaIt is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe (1/2)
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaIt is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe (1/2)
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwa
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwa
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwa
It is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe (1/2)
It is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe (1/2)
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaCde Mugabe was an icon of liberation, a pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people.
His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten. May his soul rest in eternal peace (2/2)
President of Zimbabwe✔@edmnangagwaCde Mugabe was an icon of liberation, a pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people. His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten.
May his soul rest in eternal peace (2/2)
Source: Thezimbabwemail
