This archive report was first published on 9 September 2019.
On September 9, 2019, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took to Twitter to express his disapproval of the late Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's legacy, even as the African nation prepared to lay him to rest.
Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years, died in Singapore on August 25, 2019, while undergoing treatment.
According to Pompeo, Mugabe 'devastated a country with enormous potential' and was responsible for 'slaughtering political opponents in the 1980s, using security forces to abuse the opposition, and enriching his family and inner circle through massive corruption.'
However, not everyone shared Pompeo's sentiments. Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa described Mugabe as a 'great teacher and mentor' and declared him a national hero.
As the nation prepares to bid farewell to its former leader, flags in Harare continue to fly at half-mast in respect to Mugabe.
