Profile Text
Mugabe in 2016, photo by Golden Brown /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Robert Gabriel Mugabe
Date of Birth: 21 February, 1924
Place of Birth: Kutama, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
Date of Death: 6 September, 2019
Place of Death: Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore
Ethnicity: Shona, possibly some Ndebele
Robert Mugabe was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician. He was President of Zimbabwe, from 31 December, 1987 to 21 November, 2017. He was previously also Leader and First Secretary of ZANU–PF (Zimbabwe African National Union), from 18 March, 1975 to 19 November, 2017, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, from 18 April, 1980 to 31 December, 1987, Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, from 6 September, 1986 to 7 September, 1989, and Chairperson of the African Union, from 30 January, 2015 to 30 January, 2016.
Robert’s father, Gabriel Matibiri, was a carpenter. Robert’s mother, Bona (Shoniwa), taught Christian catechism to the village children. Robert was married to Sally Francesca Hayfron, until her death; and then to Grace Mugabe , until his death. He had a son with Sally; and three children, including businessperson Bona Mugabe and basketball player, fashion label owner, and political campaigner Robert Mugabe, Jr., with Grace.
Robert’s paternal grandfather, Constantine Karigamombe (also known as Matibiri), served King Lobengula, a Ndebele king, in the 19th century.
It appears that Robert was mostly or entirely of Shona background.