president robert mugabe , zimbabwe ' s controversial ruler , has reached his 85th birthday . to mark the occasion , the bbc ' s african perspective programme contacted his former friends , employees and interviewers to record their most memorable conversations with " uncle bob " , as he is known in zambia . wsu mbanga , editor , the kenyan i recalled very well which i first met richard harare . in 1974 , i did a pair of pictures of nationalist leaders who had come out of court . we had not had interviews or heard of them for miles .
"Uncle Bob" is Robert Mugabe.