Mugabe, "The Hero Who Became A Villain" - Allotey Jacobs

Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Allotey Jacobs has described former President Robert Mugabe as a "hero who became a villain".

Allotey Jacobs explained that though Robert Mugabe boldly stood for Africa, his days were numbered because he held on to power for far too long.

According to him, Mr. Mugabe should have democratically ceded power for the next leader to take up the baton of leadership over Zimbabwe.

He said this on Peace FM's Kokrokoo regarding the recent resignation by Mr. Mugabe.

The 93-year old Robert Mugabe resigned on Tuesday, November 21, 2017.

He announced his resignation in a letter submitted to Parliament after ruling Zimbabwe for 37 years.

Mr. Mugabe's resignation was necessitated when the military him under house arrest in a coordinated military takeover after he ousted his Vice President.

Although Allotey Jacobs believes the military acted properly by ensuring their actions didn't escalate into any kind of civil war, he was however shocked that Mugabe's own party could denounce him.

What surprises me is that the very people who advised him for the Zimbabweans to support that policy of eliminating whites, destroying their farms; are the very same people who have voted him out of office as leader of Zanu-PF. And the very people who were rushing to white farms are the very people who are jubilating on the streets of Harare…then you ask yourself that what kind of hypocrisy is this?” he said.

He however believes Mugabe has done the right thing by resigning because if he had been impeached, he would have lost several diplomatic privileges in the country.

Allotey Jacobs further advised African leaders to pick lessons from the Zimbabwean successful transfer of power saying Mugabe "has taken a very wise decision for the interest of the nation".

He asked them not to become power-drunk and claim lives in the process of their power struggle.