Mugabe, Robert (Gabriel)
1925 - .
Zimbabwean politician.

Prime minister from 1980 and president from 1987. He was in detention in Rhodesia for nationalist activities 1964{nd}74, then carried on guerrilla warfare from Mozambique. As leader of ZANU he was in an uneasy alliance with Joshua Nkomo of ZAPU (Zimbabwe African People's Union) from 1976. Mugabe is a member of the Shona people, and was educated at Fort Hare University, South Africa. In 1985 he postponed the introduction of a multiparty state for five years. His failure to anticipate and respond to the 1991{nd}92 drought in southern Africa adversely affected his popularity, but he was re-elected, unchallenged, Feb 1996.