Mugabe Career Timeline

Robert G. Mugabe

1924 - 2017

1924 1941 1949 1951 1955 1958 1960 1961 1963 1964 1975

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1986 1987 1988 1989 1991

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2008 2009 2013 2014 2015
2016 Present

1924 1975

21, February 1924

Robert Grabriel Mugabe is born at Kutama Village in Zvimba district. He is
the third of six children born to Gabriel Matibili Mugabe and Bona Mugabe.

He grows up herding his father’s cattle in Zvimba and takes charge of the
family at an early age after the death of his siblings Michael and Raphael
and the relocation of their father to Bulawayo. For his early education he
goes to Kutama College where he excels in school under the Jesuits priests

and guidance of Father Jerome O’Hea.

1924 1941 1975

1941

Robert Mugabe is offered a place in teacher training at Kutama, where he
attains a diploma.

1924 1941 1949 1975

1949

He wins a scholarship to study at University of Fort Hare in South Africa’s
Eastern Cape. There, he joins the African National Congress, and attends
African nationalist meetings, where he meets a number of Jewish South

African communists who introduce him to Marxist ideas.

In later years he describes his time at Fort Hare as the “turning-point” in
his life.

1924 1941 1949 1951 1975

1951

Mugabe attains a Bachelor of Arts (History and English) degree from the
University of Fort Hare.

Northern Rhodesia

1924 1941 1949 1951 1955 1975

1955

He moves to Northern Rhodesia, there, he teaches for four years at
Chalimbana Training College while also working towards his Bachelor of
Sciences Degree in Economics through correspondence courses with the

University of London.

PROUD TO BE
BY YOUR SIDE
ON THIS JOURNEY

The Board and Management of ZINARA celebrates His Excellency,
The President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, his 93rd Birthday.

We wish you many more years of good health and exemplary leadership.

@ZinaraNCIC
www.zinara.co.zw
Information Hotline: 08677 000 129

1924 1941 1949 1951 1955 1958 1975

1958

Mugabe moves to Ghana where he becomes interested in Marxism and
nationalism. He meets his first wife Sarah Hayfron while teaching at St

Mary’s Teacher Training College.

In tandem with his teaching, from 1958 to 1960 Mugabe attends the Kwame
Nkrumah Ideological Institute in Winneba. He says that it was during his

time in Ghana that he finally embraced belief in Marxism.

1924 1941 1949 1951 1955 1958 1960 1975

1960

He returns home to Southern Rhodesia to an oppressive colonial system
and he easily finds himself involved with nationalists’ politics.

He chairs the inaugural congress of the National Democratic Party in October
and is chosen Secretary for Information and Publicity.

1924 1941 1949 1951 1955 1958 1960 1961 1975

1961

Cde Mugabe marries his first wife, Sarah Francesca Hayfron, a Ghanaian and
school teacher.

1924 1941 1949 1951 1955 1958 1960 1961 1963 1975

1963

He, together with Ndabaningi Sithole and other nationalists like Leopold
Takawira, Edgar Tekere, Morton Malianga, Enos Nkala and Maurice Nyagumbo,
form the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) after differences emerged
within Zapu about how the struggle against the white settler regime would

be prosecuted.

1924 1941 1949 1951 1955 1958 1960 1961 1963 1964 1975

August 1964 - December 1975

He is arrested and spends the next 11 years in prison, a period he uses
to improve his education. He gains several further degrees from London

University: an MSc in economics, a Bachelor of Administration, and two
law degrees.

His first and only child with Sally Hayfron, Nhamodzenyika, dies at age three
from cerebral malaria in 1966. He was denied permission to bury his son by

the regime of Ian Smith.

1975 1991

1975

After being released from prison, Cde Mugabe moves to Mozambique,
accompanied by Cde Tekere and Chief Rekayi Tangwena and assumes
leadership of Zanu after the famous Mgagao Declaration signed by guerrillas

at Mgagao camp in Tanzania.

1975 1976 1991

1976

He leads a delegation to the abortive independence talks in Malta. By mid-
1976, Mugabe gains the allegiance of commanders of Zanla, the military wing
of Zanu, and achieves dominance over Zanu, establishing himself as the most

prominent black guerrilla leader battling Smith’s regime.

1975 1976 1977 1991

1977

He is elected the president of Zanu during the party’s congress in exile at
Chimoio, Mozambique.

1975 1976 1977 1979 1991

1979

Cde Mugabe leads Zanu to the Lancaster House conference in London that
ended the 15-year liberation war.

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1991

1980

British rule ends and Cde Mugabe becomes Prime Minister of the new
Republic of Zimbabwe. He pronounces the policy of national reconciliation

thus restoring confidence and peace enabling national reconstruction.

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1991

1981

As the country’s first black Prime Minister on January 1, he calls for free primary
education for all pupils and guarantees admission to secondary schools for all

those who qualified.

He is one of the most educated presidents in the word as he holds seven
academic degrees and 11 honorary awards from different universities.

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1986 1991

1982 - 1986

He leads the country and great strides in education, healthcare and provisions
of social services are achieved under his watch.

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1986 1987 1991

December 22, 1987

Cde Mugabe signs the Unity Accord with PF-Zapu leader Dr Joshua Nkomo,
which ends disturbances in Matabeleland and the Midlands regions which
had been experienced since the early 1980s as a result of dissident activities.
This results in a united Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front

(Zanu-PF).

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1986 1987 1991

December 30, 1987

Cde Mugabe becomes Executive President of Zimbabwe. Cdes Joshua Nkomo
and Simon Muzenda become Vice Presidents.

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1986 1987 1988 1991

1988

He is awarded the Africa Prize for leadership for the sustainable end of hunger
by US-Based Hunger Project. He uses the $100 000 prize money to launch the

National Agricultural Scholarship Fund.

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1986 1987 1988 1989 1991

1989

The President implements a five-year development plan, which eases price
restrictions for farmers, allowing them to designate their own prices for their

produce. This greatly improves the economy.

1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1986 1987 1988 1989 1991

1991

Zimbabwe hosts the 1991 Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting (CHOGM)
Summit and Cde Mugabe assumes chairmanship CHOGM for the next 3 years.

1991 1992 2015

1992

He assumes chairmanship of the World Frontline States in March and leads
the OAU ad hoc committee in Angola.

1991 1992 1994 2015

1994

The end of the five-year development plan period, the economy reflects some
growth in the farming, mining and manufacturing industries. President Mugabe

additionally manages to build clinics and schools for the black population.

1991 1992 1994 1995 2015

1995

He is conferred chairmanship of the World Solar Commission in March and
he assumes chairmanship of the G15 in November. President Mugabe is
also awarded the Olympic Order of Gold for his eminent contribution to the

Olympic ideals.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 2015

1996

He hosts and is elected chairman of 101 strong Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
in September.

The President is awarded the Order of Jamaica and hosts the World Solar Summit
and he is elected first chairman of the Sadc Organ on Defence, Politics and Security.

He marries his second wife Grace Mugabe in August.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2015

1997

In June, Zimbabwe hosts the Organisation of African Unity Summit and Cde Mugabe
assumes chairmanship of the continental body.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2015

February, 2000

War veterans occupy white-owned commercial farms after voters rejected a draft
constitution which had the clause aimed at addressing the colonial imbalances in the
ownership of land. The newly-formed opposition party, Movement for Democratic
Change, had mobilised voters to reject the draft, and was supported by the white
commercial farmers. Cde Mugabe declines to send police or the army to remove
the war veterans from the farms arguing that the land question was the reason why
they took up arms against the Smith regime and thus needed to be addressed. This
marks the beginning of the fast-track land redistribution programme which saw

more than 300 000 households being resettled.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2015

February, 2002

President Mugabe is re-elected as President.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2008 2015

2008

He forms inclusive Government with the two MDC formations in February of this
year after he fails to win the first round of voting. The MDC’s Morgan Tsvangirai had
taken the lead with 47.9% of the vote compared to Mugabe’s 43.2%, necessitating
a run-off, which was held on 27 June 2008. Cde Mugabe garnered more than 85

percent of the vote was subsequently sworn in as President.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2008 2015

September, 2008

As a result of the June 2008 vote, there is tension between political parties,
resulting in talks aimed at bringing them together. The talks brokered by then
South African President Thabo Mbeki results in a power-sharing Government
of National Unity comprising representatives from Zanu-PF, the MDC-T led by
Tsvangirai and the MDC led by Arthur Mutambara. Cde Mugabe retains his
position as President while Tsvangirai becomes Prime Minister. Mutambara

comes in as Deputy Prime Minister.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2008 2009 2015

February, 2009

The GNU is sworn into office.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2008 2009 2013 2015

July 31, 2013

The five year-tenure of the GNU ends, leading to fresh elections. Cde Mugabe and
his Zanu-PF party win overwhelmingly, resulting in the abandoning of the GNU.

President Mugabe and Zanu-PF form the next government.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2008 2009 2013 2015

October, 2013

President Mugabe launches the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic
Transformation (ZimAsset). The blueprint is aimed at attaining sustainable socio-
economic transformation in the four key clusters which are: Food security and
nutrition; Social services and poverty reduction; Infrastructure and utilities; and

Value addition and beneficiation.



1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2008 2009 2013 2014 2015

2014

President Mugabe is elected as SADC chairperson.

1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2000 2002 2008 2009 2013 2014 2015

2015

He is elected chairman of the Africa Union. He helps the continent to become more
assertive and continues to protect the continent’s resources. He leads the discourse

on the industrialization of the continent and resource nationalism.

2016 Present

2016

President Mugabe is re-elected as Zanu-PF’s sole candidate for the 2018 presidential
elections at the Zanu PF’s congress.

He is the current President and First Secretary of the Zimbabwe African National
Patriotic Front