On this day in 1924, a revolutionary and politician Robert Gabriel Mugabe was born in Kutama, Southern Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe). Mugabe played a greater role in the formation of ZANU, served the country as Prime Minister from 1980 up to when he became the second President of the independent Zimbabwe in 1987. He resigned as president in November after a military intervention. Mugabe died in 2019.
On this day in 1950, Zimbabwean politician Simbarashe Herbert Stanley Makoni was born. Makoni was born in Mutare and grew up in Rusape. He started his university studies at University of Rhodesia but was expelled after 2 years and he then moved to University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Simba Makoni served various posts in the Zimbabwean government which include Deputy Minister of Agriculture at Zimbabwe Independence in 1980, Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Minister of Industry and Energy Development in 1981 and later Minister of Finance in 2000. He was later replaced by Herbet Murerwa after supporting devaluing the Zimbabwean dollar, something which Mugabe (then President of Zimbabwe) did not like. He remained a ZANU-PF member until he announced in 2008 that he was going to be a presidential candidate in the 2008 presidential elections.
On this day in 1952, politician Ignatius Morgen Chiminya Chombo was born in the Marondera District of Zimbabwe. Chombo served in the cabinet of Zimbabwe for 15 years under the late president Robert Mugabe. In October 2017, he was appointed Minister of Finance and Economic Development in a cabinet reshuffle and in November, was expelled from the ZANU-PF party by the central committee with together with other prominent Generation 40 politicians following the military take over.
On this day in 1977, Zimbabwean activist and religious leader Evan Mawarire was born. Mawarire obtained his education in Zimbabwe. He was a pastor at Celebration Church before establishing his own church, His Generation Church. He rose to prominence in politics when he organized protests (#ThisFlag) in the country that opposed Mugabe’s reign.
On this day in 1980, Robert Mugabe was declared prime minister of Zimbabwe after his ZANU (PF) party won 57 seats out of 80 seats in the general elections held to elect a government which would lead the country after being granted independence. In his speech, Mugabe mentioned that he will negotiate for a coalition government with Joshua Nkomo leader of the ZAPU (PF) party.
The Zimbabwean Prime Minister Robert Mugabe dismissed ZAPU members from coalition government including Joshua Nkomo on this day in 1982.
On this day in 1990, the first elections to be contested under the amended constitution of 1987 were held, they were also the first election done on a single roll for both blacks and whites. Robert Mugabe won against Edgar Tekere of Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM).
On this day in 1996, presidential elections in Zimbabwe organized for two days began. The elections were contested by the incumbent Robert Mugabe of ZANU-PF, Abel Muzorewa of United Parties and Ndabaningi Sithole of ZANU-Ndonga.
On this day in 1996, presidential elections in Zimbabwe organised for two for days came to an end, with Abel Muzorewa and Ndabaningi Sithole losing to Mugabe who claimed over 90% of the votes.
On this day in 1998, the ZCTU called for a protest against rising fuel prices in Zimbabwe. This protest resulted in the death of an individual, not forgetting many who were injured. Riots were called as a way to stop the so called strike. The ZCTU accused and blamed Mugabe government of corruption which is causing Zimbawe’s hyper inflation.
On this day in 2000, the founder of Zimbabwe African National Union, Ndabaningi Sithole died at the age of 80. His political ambition began in 1960 when he joined the new National Democratic Party (NDP) which was led by Joshua Nkomo. In the 1995 election, he won a seat in Parliament but later that year he was arrested for plotting to kill the late Robert Mugabe. In 1997 he was locked in prison and was to serve for two years . Subsequently, Sithole did not serve his entire full time because of his health conditions, he died in United States seeking for medical treatment.
The European union inflicted military and economic sanctions against the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe and other government officials on this day in 2002.
On this day in 2002, presidential elections in Zimbabwe organized for three days began. The elections were contested by five political parties with ZANU-PF led by Robert Mugabe and MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai as the major parties.
On this day in 2002, presidential elections organized for three days in Zimbabwe came to an end. Robert Mugabe won 56% of the votes followed by Tsvangirai with 42% votes.
On this day in 2002, Robert Mugabe was sworn in as president of Zimbabwe for the third term by Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku at the state house in Harare.
On this day in 2004, retired army commander and brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri was appointed the role of Minister of Youth Development, Gender and Employment Creation by his excellency president Robert Mugabe. He retired soon after the resignation of Mugabe in 2017.
On this day in 2008, the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe then President of Zimbabwe agreed to hand over day to day control of the government and much of his power in a historical deal with his opponent the late Morgan Tsvangirai. The deal was very crucial to end the famous 2008 political crisis that Zimbabwe was in following the disputed 2008 general elections.
On this day in 2009, the Movement for Democratic Change party leader Morgan Richard Tsvangirai was sworn in as the country’s prime minister by president Robert Mugabe. Mugabe and Tsvangirai set their differences aside and signed a power sharing deal (Government of National Unity-GNU) the previous year.Two deputy prime ministers Thokozani Khupe and Arthur Mutambara were also inaugurated.
On this day in 2013, Former President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe announced a new cabinet following his victory of the July 2013 general elections. The number of ministers was reduced by 7 to 26 from the previous cabinet. The cabinet marked the end of the coalition government which had been formed in 2008.
On this day in 2017, President Mugabe fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and expelled him from the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party.
On this day in 2019, former president of Zimbabwe Robert Gabriel Mugabe died in Singapore after a long battle with cancer. Mugabe had been suffering from prostate cancer for such a long time. His body had become frail and weary, making the fight against cancer more unassailable.
On this day in 2019, Zimbabwe’s 95 year old former leader Robert Gabriel Mugabe was laid to rest at his rural home in Zvimba, in a low-key Roman Catholic ceremony and only family members to witness his final resting place.The public as well as the government expected that the leader will be buried at the National Shrine as he was one of the country’s heroes. However, Mugabe had his own wishes that is to be buried at his own home therefore, the government honoured his wishes.
On this day in 1955, politician Joice Mujuru (born Runaida Mugari) was born in Mt Darwin in Zimbabwe. Mujuru joined the Rhodesian Bush War as a teenager and was nicknamed “Teurai Ropa” because of her war tactics. In 1977, she got married to the late Solomon Mujuru. Post independance she was appointed Minister of Sports, Youth and Recreation. Following the death Simon Muzenda who was then Vice-president in 2004, Mujuru became his successor. In 2014, after being accused of plotting against then President Robert Mugabe, she was dismissed as vice-president and ousted from the ZANU-PF party the following year. She went on and formed another political party called Zimbabwe People First.