Robert Mugabe

Robert Gabriel Mugabe (born February 21, 1924) has been the head of government in Zimbabwe, first as Prime Minister and later as first executive President, since 1980.

See also

• List of national leaders

Contemporaries

• Ian Smith – leader of White minority government of Rhodesia
• Rev Ndabaningi Sithole – ZANU founder with Mugabe and Chitepo
• Herbert Chitepo – torch-bearer for ZANU while Mugabe was interned
• Josiah Tongogara – Zanla military general for Mugabe's ZANU political wing
• Canaan Banana – President in Mugabe's first government
• Joshua Nkomo – Leader of ZAPU, often rivals
• Bishop Abel Muzorewa – Leader of government before Mugabe
• Kenneth Kaunda – Zambian leader who supported African nationalists
• Edgar Tekere – one-time colleague who opposed Mugabe in the 1990 Presidential election
• Morgan Tsvangirai – Leader of the current opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
• Samora Machel – Leader of FRELIMO; political friend and influence

Events

• Unilateral Declaration of Independence – Ian Smith's break away from Britain
• Lancaster House Agreement – paved the way for elections that brought Mugabe into power
• Gukurahundi – internecine war between Ndebele and Shona after Mugabe's election

Parties

• Politics of Zimbabwe
• Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) – founded by Nkomo, mostly Ndebele, often rivals to ZANU
• Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) – founded by Sithole, Chitepo and Mugabe, mostly Shona
• Patriotic Front – Umbrella group formed by Nkomo and Mugabe as rebel representation at the Lancaster House Agreement
• Zanu-PF – party merged from ZANU and ZAPU after Nkomo's fall from grace
• Movement for Democratic Change – current opposition led by Tsvangirai