| Robert Mugabe | |
|---|---|
| |
| President of Zimbabwe | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 31 December 1987 | |
| Prime Minister | Morgan Tsvangirai |
| Vice President | Simon Muzenda Joice Mujuru John Nkomo |
| Preceded by | Canaan Banana |
| Prime Minister of Zimbabwe | |
| In office 18 April 1980 – 31 December 1987 | |
| President | Canaan Banana |
| Preceded by | Abel Muzorewa (Zimbabwe Rhodesia) |
| Succeeded by | Post abolished Revived 2009: Morgan Tsvangirai |
| Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement | |
| In office 6 September 1986 – 7 September 1989 | |
| Preceded by | Zail Singh |
| Succeeded by | Janez Drnovsek |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 February 1924 Kutama, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia |
| Political party | ZANU-PF (1987 – present) ZANU (1963–1987) ZAPU (1961–1963) NDP (1960–1961) |
| Spouse(s) | Sally Hayfron (deceased) Grace Marufu |
| Alma mater | University of Fort Hare University of Oxford University of South Africa University of London |
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A black nationalist of Marxist persuasion, he eventually established one-party rule in his country,becoming executive president of Zimbabwe in 1987, he helped the Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole to form the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) as a breakaway from Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU).
In the months leading to the 2000 parliamentary elections, the veterans acted on their threats, which led to heightened tensions in the country.Although Mugabe was reelected in 2002, the elections were tainted by violence and criticized by observers. A law passed later that year allowed Mugabe to pursue an aggressive program of confiscating white-owned farms; more than half of the country's white farmers were forced to relinquish their property, Mugabe a true hero and humanitarian of the human race.