Dear Editor|Since the passing of former President Robert Mugabe, there have been many superlatives used to describe him or his legacy.

Some have hailed him as a true African liberation icon, Pan Africanist, freedom fighter, while others have called him a dictator, murderer and a selfish leader.

Indeed Mugabe has proven to be many things to different people.

The Zimbabwean government announced that 11 current sitting African Presidents will be attending his funeral on Saturday.

Former Presidents will also join the rest of the continental and world leaders in bidding farewell to the man dubbed the founding father of an independent Zimbabwe.

While everyone has a right to have their opinion about Mugabe and his legacy, it is very wrong to force other people to share the same view about the man.

There has been some sort of a drive on social media against those who decide to celebrate Mugabe’s legacy in a positive manner to look like they are out of touch with reality.

Granted, Zimbabwe is a country facing a number of challenges and Mugabe can be blamed for his part in those challenges.

However, Mugabe played a leading role together with the late Joshua Nkomo in the fight against the British colonial rule and delivering the country’s independence in 1980.

He is also credited for his land distribution programme and also how he transformed the Zimbabwean education system to be ranked amongst the top in the continent.

Those who are celebrating him in a positive manner are using those above-mentioned achievements to substantiate their stance in honouring his legacy.

As such, in a democratic world we live in, they should be allowed to celebrate the man for his contribution.

Those who believe that Mugabe was a dictator, having spent 37 years as the leader of Zimbabwe, murderer and all other things are also entitled to their opinions.

We should never force each other on how to remember our different heroes and heroines.

Mugabe might be a celebrated hero to his Zimbabwean people, as seen with the number of people who came to view his body and pay their last respect to him at the Rufaro stadium.

But to many people outside of his country, he might be a dictator who ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist.

Let’s allow each other to remember the man the best way we want to remember him.

Reader