UPDATE - Former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe dies at 95

UPDATES WITH MORE COMMENTS

By Jeffrey Moyo

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AA) - Former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe passed away in a Singapore hospital at the age of 95.

"It is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe's founding father and former President, Cde [comrade] Robert Mugabe," Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa tweeted early Friday.

The former guerrilla leader turned politician had swept to power in the 1980 elections. He served as prime minister in 1980-1987 and then as president in 1987-2017.

"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," said President Mnangagwa.

Born on February 21, 1924 at Kutama Mission northwest of Harare, Mugabe was enrolled at Fort Hare University in South Africa.

After teaching in Ghana, Mugabe returned to Rhodesia where he was detained for his nationalist activities in 1964 and spent the next 10 years in prison camps or jail. Rhodesia was an unrecognized state in southern Africa in 1965-1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe.

"With what is happening as the economy keeps dying down, Mugabe’s death is clearly clouded by the crisis and even in death he is to blame for starting this situation over the years he was in power. He has died without a chance to make amends for the mess he created," Raymond Chari, a 31-year old shop owner in Harare, said.

"There is nothing to celebrate about Mugabe’s death because that won't change the economy that he messed during his time, the same economy the people who toppled him from power have proceeded again to destroy even further. However, we can't take the fact that Mugabe really led a great war in trying to set this country free from British rule," Denis Vheremu, a 42-year-old street fruit vendor said.

Jonathan Moyo, a professor and a former minister in Mugabe’s government, said on tweeter: "A dark cloud has enveloped Zimbabwe and beyond. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord!".

Tinago Msipa, a 31-year-old supporter of the ruling party Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), said: "Mugabe is our hero, father of the nation, his mistakes go with him to the grave, at least he leaves for us a country and as one people we shall have to find ways to then build our economy, in death we honor him".

"Very sad that Mugabe has died before the economy could be brought back to life in his lifetime and it might never be revived under the same old Zanu-PF," a 37-year-old hairdresser Marylin Chaungana said.

Jeremiah Gumbi, a 26-year-old money changer, said: "I wish Mugabe should just have died in power because things as they are now are much worse than before he was removed. I am disappointed in the opposition because it seems to be failing to fight people who worked with Mugabe who are in power now doing further harm to the country".

"Mugabe would be remembered for destroying this country and many are angry at him even in his death. We wish we could move on, but the same system that he created during his time in power is haunting us today. It may be a long way before things start getting better here because of Mugabe," said Trynos Jaricha, a senior political science student at the University of Zimbabwe.