It all began at Kutama Kutama College
Kutama College

Kutama College

Born on February 21, 1924 at Kutama Mission in Zvimba, Mashonaland West province, President Mugabe received his early education at the mission.
He qualified as a primary school teacher in 1941 before teaching at his home school between 1942 and 1943. President Mugabe was later stationed at Mapanzure, Shabani and Empandeni Mission until 1945. He then moved to Hope Fountain Institute where he taught for four years.

During that time, President Mugabe privately studied for a matriculation certificate before leaving for Fort Hare University in South Africa.

At the university, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and History before returning to Southern Rhodesia where he went to teach at Driefontein Mission in 1952.

During that time, President Mugabe continued to study and he graduated with a Diploma in Education. In 1953, he taught at Mbizi Government School in Highfield and moved to Mambo School in Gweru a year later after which he obtained a Bachelor of Education degree by correspondence.

President Mugabe left the country in 1955 for Chalimbana Training College in Zambia where he taught for nearly four years. Whilst in the neighbouring country, he taught and studied for a Bachelor of Science in Economics by correspondence with the University of London. He attained the degree and left for Ghana in 1958 where he taught at St Mary’s Teacher’s College.

In 1960, President Mugabe terminated his contract prematurely with the Ghanaian college before returning home. He then joined the National Democratic Party (NDP) and was appointed to the position of Secretary for Information and Publicity.

After the banning of the NDP in 1961 and the subsequent formation of Zapu, President Mugabe got the same post in the new party. When Zapu was banned in 1962, he was restricted to his birthplace in Zvimba for three months.

President Mugabe was arrested in 1963 following a speech he made in Highfield, but eluded the authorities while on bail. He left the country for Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania where it was intended to establish the operational headquarters of Zapu.

While in Tanzania, President Mugabe organised regular broadcasts to Zimbabwe through Radio Tanzania. He was elected secretary general of Zanu in August 1963 after the split of Zapu. When Zanu was banned in 1964, President Mugabe along with other leaders were arrested and detained first at WhaWha Detention Camp then transferred to Salisbury Maximum Security Prison and later to Sikombela.

They were again returned to Salisbury Prison in the wake of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Ian Smith in 1965. While in detention, President Mugabe obtained several degrees in law, education, economics and administration.

It was in prison that he emerged as the leader of Zanu after the majority of the national executive members had voted for him.

Following the death of Cde Herbert Chitepo in 1975, President Mugabe together with Cde Edgar Tekere left Rhodesia to re-organise the party and restructure the armed struggle in Mozambique. It was during this period that he was confirmed as the unchallenged leader of Zanu and the fighting forces.

On October 9, 1967, an alliance was formed between Zanu and Zapu – the Patriotic Front – to coordinate various aspects of the struggle. It was jointly led by President Mugabe and the late Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo.

At the historic Zanu Congress in Chimoio, Mozambique in 1977, the structures of Zanu were streamlined and President Mugabe was elected the leader of the party and Commander-in-Chief of Zanla Forces.

In 1980, after independence, he became the Prime Minister and later Executive President in 1987. There is no doubt that President Mugabe’s unwavering political stance has earned him some well deserved respect, not only locally, but globally.

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