FROM THE ARCHIVES: Robert Mugabe and The Pillaging of Zimbabwe

A man walks past a mural of former president Robert Mugabe, in the low income neighbourhood of Mbare, known to have many supporters of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party, in the capital Harare, Zimbabwe Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. Mugabe, who enjoyed strong backing from Zimbabwe’s people after taking over in 1980, but whose support waned following decades of repression, economic mismanagement and allegations of election-rigging, is expected to be buried on Sunday, state media reported.
A man walks past a mural of former president Robert Mugabe, in the low income neighbourhood of Mbare, known to have many supporters of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, in the capital Harare, Zimbabwe Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. Mugabe, who enjoyed strong backing from Zimbabwe's people after taking over in 1980, but whose support waned following decades of repression, economic mismanagement and allegations of election-rigging, is expected to be buried on Sunday, state media reported. Ben Curtis / AP Photo
A man walks past a mural of former president Robert Mugabe, in the low income neighbourhood of Mbare, known to have many supporters of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party, in the capital Harare, Zimbabwe Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. Mugabe, who enjoyed strong backing from Zimbabwe’s people after taking over in 1980, but whose support waned following decades of repression, economic mismanagement and allegations of election-rigging, is expected to be buried on Sunday, state media reported.
A man walks past a mural of former president Robert Mugabe, in the low income neighbourhood of Mbare, known to have many supporters of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, in the capital Harare, Zimbabwe Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. Mugabe, who enjoyed strong backing from Zimbabwe's people after taking over in 1980, but whose support waned following decades of repression, economic mismanagement and allegations of election-rigging, is expected to be buried on Sunday, state media reported. Ben Curtis / AP Photo

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Robert Mugabe and The Pillaging of Zimbabwe

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Former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe died last Friday. In this conversation from 2002, historian Martin Meredith told us how Mugabe destroyed the once-flourishing African state’s wealth. From now until the Fall, to celebrate Worldview’s 25th anniversary, we’re bringing you stories like these from our deep archive.

Special thanks to the WBEZ Archives Team for cataloging 25 years of Worldview and making this segment possible.