I often wonder what makes people tick. Why do people make the decisions they make and why the reactions to certain things in their lives. Human nature is fascinating and it is one of my greatest interests. Amazingly more often than not, we form our opinions of people from their decisions (and rightfully so, as that is all we have to go on).
Public figures are particular targets of our judgement and opinion. One of the people who have fascinated me is Robert Mugabe.
The 89 year old is undoubtedly a divisive figure, although many are familiar only with the information of his most public life. According to an article I recently read, his childhood and adult life are filled with surprises, many of which influenced decisions during his many years as Zimbabwe’s president.
Robert Mugabe was raised by parents who were extremely religious and strict with their son.
Throughout his childhood, he attended Jesuit school, and credits an Irish priest as one of his most powerful mentors in his youth.
Mugabe lost both of his older brothers by the age of 10.
Mugabe has always been a strong advocate of education. Zimbabwe’s literacy rate reached the highest of any African country during his presidency. This in most part was due to the fact that Mugabe worked as a school teacher before beginning his political career.
Six of Mugabe’s university degrees were actually earned while in prison. They cover a broad range of topics including education, economics, administration, and law. Degrees include a Bachelor of Laws and Master’s of Laws from the University of London’s external program, earned during his stint in a Salisbury prison.
Although the Rhodesians did release Mugabe from prison, he was not supposed to leave the country; however a white nun helped him to cross into Mozambique, where he was able to rejoin the revolutionary armies.
In 1981 Mugabe was short listed for the Nobel Peace Prize for his initial stance about reconciliation following Zimbabwe’s independence and his election as the country’s first president.
Another fact about his life is that while his first wife was struggling with her cancer, Mugabe started up with his private secretary, Grace. Ignoring popular opinion he married her in 1996 when it came out that she was pregnant with his child.
Due to Mugabe’s violent rule, the European Union issued a travel ban against him that would prevent him from entering any member countries. He was able to challenge the ban on religious grounds in March 2013 in order to attend the inauguration of Pope Francis in Italy.
Many of his honors have been revoked due to the number of human rights violations perpetrated by Mugabe.
For instance, Queen Elizabeth II rescinded his knighthood in 2008.
The Hunger Project took back his 1988 award of the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger. Numerous universities have revoked honorary degrees, including Michigan State University, University of Massachusetts, and the University of Edinburgh.
Mugabe won the most recent election in Zimbabwe in 2013 with 61 percent of the vote, although it is widely believed that voter fraud occurred.
He has announced his intention to run again for election in 2018 for the office that he has held since 1987, this despite his advanced age.
Although Mugabe had many opportunities as a leader to uplift and advance his country, the choices he has made seem to be more selfish. What kind of God given opportunities have you let go by to improve and uplift others?