Robert
Mugabe, 90, is undoubtedly a controversial figure, but many are familiar only
with the details of his most public life. Both his childhood and adult life are
filled with surprises, many of which influenced decisions during his numerous
terms as Zimbabwe’s president. Sources: CNN.com,
PolicyMic.com, FunTrivia.com, Afri-Culture.com, Wikipedia.org, Pbs.org,
Rense.com, Slate.com, Citypress.co.za, Books.google.ps
Mugabe
is the product of a religious upbringing:
Both
of Robert Mugabe’s parents were extremely religious, and strict with their son.
Throughout his childhood, he attended Jesuit school, and credits an Irish
priest as one of his most influential mentors in his youth.
Mugabe
has a strong background in education:
Many
are aware that Mugabe has always been a strong proponent of education.
Zimbabwe’s literacy rate reached the highest of any African country during his
presidency. This is in large part due to the fact that Mugabe worked as a
school teacher prior to beginning his political career, first teaching in Ghana
(he also taught in Zambia) and then returning to Zimbabwe to join the
revolution against the white government of Rhodesia.
He
has seven university degrees:
Six of Mugabe’s university degrees were
actually earned while he was doing distance learning in prison. They cover a
broad range of topics including education, economics, administration, and law.
Degrees include a Bachelor of Laws and Master’s of Laws from the University of
London’s external program, earned during his stint in a Salisbury prison.
His
first child died:
The first and only child Mugabe had with the
late First Lady Sally Hayfron (pictured above at their wedding), Michael
Nhamodzenyika, died at age three from cerebral malaria in 1966. Mugabe was
informed of this from behind prison bars, and was devastated.
After
his release from prison, he escaped Zimbabwe with the help of a white nun:
Though
the Rhodesians did release Mugabe from prison, he was not supposed to leave the
country. A white nun helped him to cross into Mozambique, where he was able to
rejoin the revolutionary armies.
He
was a Nobel Peace Prize nominee:
In
1981, Mugabe was on the short list for the Nobel Peace Prize for his initial
stance about reconciliation following Zimbabwe’s independence and his election
as the country’s first president. He said, “Our people, young and old, men and
women, black and white, living and dead, are, on this occasion, being brought
together in a new form of national unity that makes them all Zimbabweans.”
He
had an extramarital affair while his wife was dying of cancer:
While
his first wife was struggling with her cancer, Mugabe started up with his
private secretary, Grace. When it came out that she was pregnant with his
child, he ignored popular opinion and married her in 1996.
Mugabe
traveled to Italy despite a E.U. travel ban:
The
European Union issued a travel ban against Mugabe that would prevent him from
entering any member countries. However, he was able to subvert the ban on
religious grounds in March 2013 in order to attend the inauguration of Pope
Francis in Italy.
Some
honors he received have been revoked:
As
the number of human rights violations perpetrated by Mugabe have increased,
some of his honors have been revoked. Queen Elizabeth II rescinded his
knighthood in 2008. The Hunger Project took back his 1988 award of the Africa
Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger. Numerous universities
have revoked honorary degrees, including Michigan State University, University
of Massachusetts, and the University of Edinburgh.
He
led ZANU:
In
1963, the Zimbabwe African National Union was formed to fight white colonial
rule in the country. Influenced by the framework and successes of South
Africa’s Pan Africanist Congress, it held a military wing, ZANLA, and also
touted Communist/Maoist views. The group split in the ’70s, and Mugabe headed
the militant faction. When he was elected as prime minister in 1980, ZANU
became ZANU-PF (Patriotic Front), the ruling political party.
He
is an accused racist:
Mugabe
has criticized for having bigoted views toward whites, especially the citizens
of his country. He was condemned for seizing white-owned farms in Zimbabwe
without compensation. On the 22nd anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence,
Mugabe proclaimed in a speech: “The white man is here as a second citizen: you
are number one.” His rhetoric has drawn many detractors.
His
LGBT views:
This
may come as no real shock: Mugabe hates the gays. Here are some things he has
been quoted as saying: “Worse than pigs, goats, and birds.” “If you take two
men and lock them in a house for five years and tell them to come with two
children and they fail to do that, then we will chop off their heads.” Since
1987, he has enforced sodomy laws against homosexual acts.
His
father abandoned him:
In
January 2014, at his sister Bridget’s burial, Mugabe informed mourners during a
67-minute eulogy that his father had abandoned the family in 1934, after his
oldest brother Michael’s death. Gabriel Mugabe Matibiri started a whole new
family and bore new children.
He
won the lottery:
In
2000, Mugabe won the state lottery, raking in about 100,000 Zimbabwe dollars
(the equivalent of $2,600 American dollars). His name was reportedly drawn from
thousands of contestants, and many people were stunned. The lottery was
organized by the Zimbabwe Banking Corp. About half the country’s population is
unemployed.
Mugabe
at the movies:
A
film star? Well…if you’ve seen the 2005 American thriller, “The Interpreter”
with Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman, then you might know Mugabe’s role. A U.N.
interpreter stumbles upon an assassination plot orchestrated by the fictional
president of an African country. The fictional President Zuwanie” and Mugabe
share many traits, as does the faux country of Matobo with Zimbabwe. The film
was swiftly banned in Zimbabwe, deemed “anti-Zimbabwean.”
He
plans to run for president again in 2018:
Mugabe
won the most recent election in Zimbabwe in 2013 with 61 percent of the vote,
but it is widely believed that voter fraud occurred. Despite this, and despite
his advanced age, Mugabe has announced his intention to run again for election
in 2018 for the office that he has held since 1987.
Happy
Birthday, Mugabe:
Mugabe
received a one-ton royal throne for his birthday, studded with gold and
diamonds. He turned 90 on Feb. 21, 2014. Three throne crafters reportedly took
two years of intensive work to carve the chair out of a block of stone.
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