By Pupurai Togarepi |Former President Robert Mugabe is gone, a giant of the liberation struggle and a colossus that stood against imperialism is no more, he has been silenced by ineluctable fate.

In this instance death has been very unkind and unjust, snatching from us a fatherly figure before we had the opportunity to tap all the wisdom from his encyclopaedic memory.

Baba Mugabe was the pacesetter, a trailblazer and the first leader of independent Zimbabwe, we owe our freedoms to him, the schools, hospitals and an informed citizenry we have today are all a result of that liberation war icon.

He ran his race, fought the good fight, just as the Bible says, maybe as fellow revolutionaries we let him down, yes we probably let him down when we allowed an overambitious clique to abuse his old age, but then we all make mistake and that is the mistake we corrected rather belatedly.

A true Pan-Africanist, he was one of the last men standing from that glorious and selfless generation that took initiative to find colonialism and its ills. He was no push over throughout his political life.

For us as Zanu PF youth league, we are proud that we are products of his vision, we honour him, and to express our love we have his birthday February 21 as a youth holiday, we have a Robert Mugabe International Airport, writing his name in stone and for eternity.
Indeed heroes don’t die they just turn into legends and the legend of Cde Mugabe is the one that will live in Zimbabwe, Africa and the world memories forever. We were highly privileged to live in Robert Mugabe’s time and we should remain apostles of his principles.

He was an illustrious son of the soil, the Father of the Nation, a true nationalist who was also a good mentor, a shepherd and symbol of our black consciousness, now he is gone, snapped by inescapable death all we have are sad memories, we remember him because its only natural to remember him and we shall try to follow in his giant footprints although that will be a tall order.

There is no doubt that some may not have so fond memories of Cde Mugabe but he was no saint, his good and bad sums all our hopes and failures, we have to learn from his trials and tribulations – engrave his good deeds in our hearts.

Rest in Peace Our Leader, Rest in Peace Gushungo, indeed “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.

They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts…” RG was a special breed from his legacy we learned to defend the Revolution. Rest in Power dear leader of the African cause.

Former President Mugabe played his part and we shall keep the fire burning.