African leaders pay tribute to Mugabe

Elvis Anokye

5 years ago

- African leaders past and present have been paying tribute to Robert Mugabe, whose 37-year-rule in Zimbabwe made him one of the continent’s longest-serving leaders.
  
  “A great nationalist” and “symbol of Zimbabwe’s emancipation” is how Nigeria‘s former President Goodluck Jonathan described him:
  
  Africa has lost a great nationalist. Robert Mugabe will continue to live in the hearts and minds of all lovers of freedom as the symbol of Zimbabwe’s emancipation.
  
  Nigeria’s current president Muhammadu Buhari, meanwhile, said Robert Mugabe was “a man who lived most of his life in public service”.
  
  In Kenya, the flag is to be flown at half-mast on all public buildings, military posts and naval centres from Saturday until sunset on Monday. President Kenyatta called Mr Mugabe “a freedom fighter and a pan-Africanist who played a major role in shaping the interests of the African continent”.
  
  Tanzania‘s President John Magufuli tweeted in Swahili: “Africa has lost one of its courageous leaders, who resisted colonisation through actions.”
  
  “Worthy son of Africa,” is how the former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, described Mr Mugabe.
  
  In 1998, Mr Mugabe sent troops to back Mr Kabila’s father, Laurent, who was trying to repel rebel forces backed by Rwanda and Uganda.
  
  Zambia‘s President Edgar Lungu said Mr Mugabe will be remembered for “fearlessly defending the continent”, adding that his place in the annals of history was assured.
  
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  That’s all from BBC Africa Live for today. We’re closing our live coverage of the death of Robert Mugabe aged 95.
  
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