Director, Commonwealth Policy Center

Robert Mugabe resigned as president of Zimbabwe. The populist got into power by opposing British colonial rule. But by promising to right the wrongs, the dictator perpetrated even greater pain upon what used to be one of the richest African nations. Mugabe was in power for nearly four decades but he left behind 90 percent unemployment, a worthless currency, sky rocketing inflation and corruption. Zimbabwe was once the bread basket of Africa. It now experiences famine and food shortage. This happened when the dictator took the lands of white farmers and redistributed it. The entire economy has since been devastated and this is linked to corruption in the government. Robert Mugabe should be a lesson to each of us that populism may lead to tyranny and that government without checks and balances becomes corrupt.