Robert Mugabe

**Robert Gabriel Mugabe** (21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Southern Rhodesian-born Zimbabwean politician. He was the President of Zimbabwe from 1987 to 2017. Before that, he was Prime Minister, the head of government, after being elected in 1980. For many years before he resigned, Mugabe ruled his country in the style of a dictator.

## Presidency

His first years as leader were prosperous. He introduced land reforms, which were supposed to give the land owned by white people back to the "original" black owners. This has had a serious impact on how the country is seen from outside. In recent years, Mugabe has allowed violence against the white citizens of the country as well as to opposition leaders of all races. The reforms were done in 1998. In 2001, the United Nations imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe. This was done because human rights abuses came to the attention of the United Nations. Mugabe was known to be close with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

On November 15, 2017, he was placed under house arrest as Zimbabwe's military took control in a coup. On November 21, 2017, Mugabe resigned as President of Zimbabwe. It ended his rule of 40 years.

## Death

Mugabe was hospitalized in April 2019, making the last of several trips to Singapore for medical treatment. He died on 6 September 2019 at a Singapore hospital, at the age of 95. The cause of death was prostate cancer.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Robert Mugabe
- **image**: Robert Mugabe Official Portrait.jpg
- **alt**: A photograph of Robert Mugabe
- **office**: 2nd President of Zimbabwe
- **primeminister**: Morgan Tsvangirai
- **1blankname**: Vice-President of Zimbabwe, First Vice President
- **2blankname**: Second Vice President
- **term start**: 31 December 1987
- **term end**: 21 November 2017
- **predecessor**: Canaan Banana
- **successor**: Phelekezela Mphoko (acting)
Emmerson Mnangagwa
- **order1**: 1st
- **office1**: Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
- **president1**: Canaan Banana
- **deputy1**: Simon Muzenda
- **term start1**: 18 April 1980
- **term end1**: 31 December 1987
- **predecessor1**: Abel Muzorewa
- **successor1**: Morgan Tsvangirai
- **office2**: Leader and First Secretary of ZANU–PF

- **1blankname2**: Party chair, Chairman
- **2blankname2**: Second Secretary
- **term start2**: 18 March 1975
- **term end2**: 19 November 2017
- **predecessor2**: Herbert Chitepo
- **successor2**: Emmerson Mnangagwa
- **office3**: 13th Chairperson of the African Union
- **leader3**: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
- **term start3**: 30 January 2015
- **term end3**: 30 January 2016
- **predecessor3**: Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
- **successor3**: Idriss Déby
- **office4**: 10th Secretary General of the
Non-Aligned Movement
- **deputy4**: Janez Drnovšek
- **term start4**: 6 September 1986
- **term end4**: 7 September 1989
- **predecessor4**: Zail Singh
- **successor4**: Janez Drnovšek
- **birth name**: Robert Gabriel Mugabe
- **birth place**: Kutama, Zimbabwe, Kutama, Southern Rhodesia
- **death place**: Singapore
- **party**: National Democratic Party
Zimbabwe African People's Union
Zimbabwe African National Union
ZANU–PF, Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front
- **spouse**:

- **children**: 4, including Bona Mugabe, Bona
- **alma mater**: University of Fort Hare
University of South Africa
University of London International Programmes
- **signature**: Signature of Robert Mugabe clear.svg