Dance with the angels! Things you didn't know about Robert Mugabe

Piece by: Caren Nyota
Lifestyle

Robert Mugabe will be remembered for helping free Zimbabwe from the British colonialism, imperialism, and white minority rule.

Having dominated Zimbabwe's politics for nearly four decades, Mugabe has been praised by many for being a hero to his people.

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Mugabe emphasised the redistribution of land controlled by white farmers to landless blacks, initially on a "willing seller–willing buyer" basis.

Frustrated at the slow rate of redistribution, from 2000 he encouraged black Zimbabweans to violently seize white-owned farms

His quotes on colonialism included;

"Africa must revert to what it was before the imperialists divided it. These are artificial divisions which we, in our pan-African concept, will seek to remove" (1962).

African resources belong to Africa. Others may come to assist as our friends and allies, but no longer as colonisers or oppressors, no longer as racists (2015).

Well, as Africa continues to mourn the leader, who died in Singapore on August 6, below are the things you should know about him.

He was born to Bona Mugabe and Gabriel Mugabe Matibiri

His real name is Robert Gabriel Mugabe

One if the longest serving Prime Ministers of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017

He was imprisoned for 10 years

Mugabe embraced Marxism and joined African nationalist protests calling for an independent state led by representatives of the black majority. After making anti-government comments, he was convicted of sedition and imprisoned between 1964 and 1974. On release, he fled to Mozambique, established his leadership of ZANU

He was a revolutionary leader

Great husband and father of four

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His first wife Sally died in 1992 and he married Grace in 1996.

He was against gay marriages

In 2010 he was quoted saying,

Worse than pigs and dogs... Those who do it, we will say, they are wayward. It is just madness, insanity.

In 2013, while speaking about homosexuality, he said.

(President Barack) Obama came to Africa saying Africa must allow gay marriages... God destroyed the Earth because of these sins. Weddings are for a man and a woman.

In 2008 he said,

Only God who appointed me will remove me — not the MDC (opposition), not the British.

Talking about his leadership, in 2013, he said

I am still the Hitler of the time. This Hitler has only one objective, justice for his own people, sovereignty for his people, recognition of the independence of his people. If that is Hitler, then let me be a Hitler tenfold.

Lived a lavish lifestyle. This can be evident from the cars, houses he owned.

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He was a no nonsense leader and feared no one. In 2017, while responding to President Trump's remarks referring to Africa as a shithole, Mugabe told him off.

His message to him was clear,

May I say to the United States President, Mr Trump, please blow your trumpet. Blow your trumpet in a musical way towards the values of unity, peace, cooperation, togetherness, dialogue, which we have always stood for.

He died aged 95

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We at Mpasho condole with the Mugabes during this difficult time.