Robert Mugabe Biography

If you look into Zimbabwe’s political history, one of the biggest names is Robert Mugabe. He was the first prime minister of independent Zimbabwe. He also served as the country’s President for 30 years before he resigned in 2017. He was also a prominent figure in the Zimbabwean struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He was the founding member of ZANU, a resistance group against the British government. But, behind the political underpinnings, who is Robert Mugabe, let us find out.

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe is famous for his revolutionary and extreme approaches to controlling the country’s politics. He was controversially elected to the post but was forced to resign in 2017. Nevertheless, he played a pivotal role in defining the politics of the country and stabilising society.

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Image: Robert Mugabe

Birth, childhood, and early life of Robert Mugabe

As per records, Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe was born on February 21, 1924. His birthplace is Kutama, Southern Rhodesia. His father was a carpenter. When Mugabe was a boy, his father went to South Africa as a part of a Jesuit mission. However, he never came back. Mugabe’s mother was a teacher who had to take care of Mugabe and his siblings. Therefore, Mugabe had to earn money from an early age to support his mother. He did so by tending cows and working in different odd jobs.

The place Southern Rhodesia is now in Zimbabwe. Mugabe was born a few months after Southern Rhodesia became a part of the British Crown colony. Therefore, he had to face several hardships and oppression from his birth. The people were unhappy with the new laws related to their career opportunities and education.

Robert Mugabe’s Education

You must be wondering who Robert Mugabe is underneath his political trajectories? Due to the implementation of new laws in Southern Rhodesia, the education system took a toll. Many people could not proceed beyond grammar school in that place. However, Mugabe was lucky to complete his education. He went to the local Jesuit missionary school, where he was educated under the strict and able guidance of the director Father O’Hea. Mugabe learned the importance of equal treatment for all, especially in imparting education to meet their abilities. According to Mugabe’s teachers, he was clever in recognising his abilities.

Mugabe held his teacher’s values in high regard. He started working as a teacher in several missionary schools in Southern Rhodesia even when he was studying privately. Mugabe graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and History in 1951 from Fort Hare University in South Africa. He obtained a Bachelor of Education degree from correspondence courses in 1953. He returned to his hometown to teach students.

The early political career of Robert Mugabe

When Robert Mugabe returned to Southern Rhodesia in 1960, he encountered drastic changes in the region. The whites have primarily replaced the black population. The government did not recognise the black majority, leading to violent protests. Such sudden changes also perturbed Mugabe, and he decided to address the crowd at a protest march organised at the Harare Town Hall in Salisbury. Some people organised the gathering to protest the arrest of some of their leaders. Even though there were police threats, Mugabe explained the use of Marxism by Ghana to attain their independence.

One of the most intriguing questions about Mugabe’s political career is Robert Mugabe, the leader of which party. He was first elected as National Democratic Party’s public secretary. This election took place weeks after his first public address. He followed the Ghanain model to assemble a militant youth group to achieve black independence in Rhodesia. However, his party was banned by the government in 1961. The party’s remaining members came together to form the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU). The new party soon grew to a strength of 450,000 members.

The leader of this union, Joshua Nkomo, was invited to a meeting with the United Nations. This meeting was conducted to demand Britain to suspend its constitution and reconsider the majority rule topic. However, several months passed, and no step was taken in this regard. Mugabe got frustrated by this laidback approach and discussed a guerrilla war plan publicly in April 1961. He even publicly defied a policeman stating that they will take over the country and will not tolerate any more nonsense.

The formation of the ZANU party

If you wish to learn about Robert Mugabe, you will encounter essential concepts about the ZANU party. After the dissolution of the previous party, Mugabe and some of Nkomo’s supporters started the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) in 1963. Mugabe was arrested later that year and sent to Hwahwa prison. He continued to stay in jail for ten years. However, he continued his guerrilla plans through secret communications from the prison. 

Prime Minister Ian Smith allowed Mugabe to go to a conference in Zambia in 1974. However, Mugabe escaped to Southern Rhodesia and assembled several guerrilla trainees while on his journey. The battle continued for several years resulting in Zimbabwe entering into its worst economy. In 1979, the British finally agreed to allow the Black majority to rule in the state, and the UN lifted all its sanctions. Southern Rhodesia attained independence from British rule in 1980 and formed the independent republic of Zimbabwe. 

Robert Mugabe was elected as the new prime minister of Zimbabwe after contesting against Nkomo. Most people make mistakes when they need to answer who was the President of Zimbabwe in 1980. Canaan Banana served as the President of the country from 1980 to 1987, after which Mugabe was elected as the President. 

Although they have attained independence, differences started to boil between the ZAPU and the ZANU party due to different approaches and agendas. Such differences led to a battle between the two parties in 1981. Mugabe was re-elected in 1985, although the war continued. The war ended when some of Mugabe’s supporters killed a group of missionaries. Mugabe and Nkomo came together to form the ZANU-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). The new party focused more on reviving the nation’s economy.

Robert Mugabe’s appointment as the President of the country

After the unity agreement, Robert Mugabe was appointed as the President of the country. He established Nkomo as one of the senior ministers. His first goal was to correct the country’s failing economy. He reduced price restrictions for farmers, allowing them to fix their rates. His reforms resulted in an increase in the economy in mining, farming, and other manufacturing industries. 

However, Mugabe had some radical reforms, mainly against the white population of the country. He introduced reforms to seize lands from white folks without proper compensation. He also refused to amend Zimbabwe’s one-party constitution rule. His decisions started to create unrest amongst people in 1996.

In 1998, Mugabe appealed to other countries for donations to support land distribution. However, they refused to help unless Mugabe devised any program to correct the impoverished rural economy of the country. When Mugabe refused, the helping countries did not donate. Mugabe also passed an amendment in 2000 for the British to pay reparations for the lands that they have seized from black people. The amendment stated seizure of British lands if they fail to deliver. Such measures further strained foreign relations of the country. 

Zimbabwe’s economy faced a significant slump in the early part of the 21st century. Mugabe faced more challenges due to the AIDS epidemic in the country. However, he used alleged corruption and violence to win the 2005 elections. He lost the presidential election in 2008 but refused to recede power. The winner of the election, Morgan Tsvangirai, considered his corrupt measures and agreed to share powers with him.

Mugabe’s retirement in 2017

Due to his extreme measures, he was impeached by his party in 2017. He was first given the option to declare his resignation publicly, which Mugabe refused. When the party decided to vote him out of power, Mugabe made a public declaration about his resignation. His resignation brought an end to his 37 years long rule.

Robert Mugabe’s death

The former Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, died on September 6, 2019, at the famous Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore. He was going through treatment for an undisclosed disease for several months in that hospital.

Robert Mugabe’s life is considered a stature of discipline, struggle, and love for the country. Mugabe started his career at a tender age as a teacher and later joined politics to serve his kins. Although his measures were extreme, he played a pivotal role in helping the Zimbabwean economy reach its present state.