He died after battling ill health, his family confirmed to the BBC. Mr Mugabe was ousted from power in a military coup in November 2017, ending his three-decade reign. 

Zimbabwe's education secretary Fadzayi Mahere tweeted: "Rest In Peace, Robert Mugabe."

He was born on 21 February 1924, in what was then Rhodesia. He was imprisoned for more than a decade without trial after criticising the government of Rhodesia in 1964.

In 1973, while still in prison, he was chosen as president of the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu), of which he was a founding member.