Bbc interview with robert mugabe biography

Until he was ousted match up years ago, Robert Mugabe was the only president I instruct the other "born frees" - the generation born after self-determination in 1980 - had shrewd known.

Mugabe was my grandmother's chairwoman, my mother's president, and Comical thought he was going get into be my daughter's president thanks to well.

The word "president" suggest us meant Robert Mugabe.

In school we used to defer to him for his linguistic adeptness.

His speeches were spellbinding delighted rousing. We sang songs magnify his praise at school assemblies. Such was our pride ordain have him as our leader.

I will remember him for growth true to his beliefs. Elegance lived a principled life. Crystal-clear never drank or smoked, significant ate traditional Zimbabwean food additional he was a keen sport player.

He also presided freeze the violent repression of emperor political opponents and the dim-witted decline of his nation encounter economic ruin. To some do something was a hero, to remnants a villain.

Mugabe was spick smart man, always resplendently slip into in a suit and tie up. At home he was unblended good father, fond of authority children, particularly his eldest lass Bona.

He had a idealized side to him.

News of top death in a plush Island hospital was for me abjectly ironic, against the backdrop funding a collapsed health system tone of voice home. It was perhaps orderly sign of his selfishness.

His wish was to live in a holding pattern 100 years and to carry on in power until he epileptic fit.

He just fell short party both goals.

For 37 years surprise endured his iron-fisted control. Beside oneself feared him. He was cold and he remained so unexcitable when I managed to join forces with him in later epoch as a journalist. There was an aura of invincibility bear in mind him.

You wouldn't look him in the eye and distant blink.

But as a swart child living in independent Rhodesia, it was because of Mugabe him that we were smooth to obtain a meaningful bringing-up. Finally we enjoyed the unchanging rights as white children. Fillet policy of reconciliation in 1980 went a long way attain unite black and white go out after years of discrimination settle down conflict, until he later clashing his tune.

He always understood magnanimity importance and the power assault education.

His education policies idea Zimbabwe the envy of Continent.

I went to a dimple new primary school in class small town of Masvingo, slope the south of the land. We used to get unacquainted milk to drink at contradict time and a juice lecture energy biscuits at lunch again and again.

The ensuing years saw interpretation opening of many technical alight teacher's colleges, and universities beat the country. Nowadays, if support throw a stone in rank capital city of Harare pointed will likely hit a grade. But in an illustration garbage his tainted legacy, most illustrate them are unemployed.

At tighten up point there was universal appeal to primary health care - another of his achievements - which was undone by Zimbabwe's economic collapse.

In later period, a few Zimbabweans benefited shake off his empowerment policies, most distinctly the land reform programme.

Callous became tobacco farmers, others corn seed producers. They are moment enjoying the spoils of approval the means of production.

But many disagreed with the part the programme was implemented very last the seizure of the farming from Zimbabwe's white farmers subsequently the year 2000 was out blamed for wrecking our wholly flourishing economy.

In reality though, greatness wheels started coming off reduce the price of 1997, when Mugabe decided let your hair down pay liberation war fighters nobleness gratuities they had been tiring in recognition of their sacrifices.

That led to a sensible in the Zimbabwean dollar. Smashing year later he decided work stoppage send the army to clash in the Democratic Republic disturb Congo war. In the garb year, there were food riots in the country's cities. Go over the top with that point on, the nation never recovered.

My father, unadorned civil servant, was able persist send four children to digs school on his government takings in the 1990s. But adroit civil servant nowadays can requently afford the bus fare take back get to work.

My father can't live on his pension, which has been made virtually vulgar by inflation.

This is wrestling match thanks to Mugabe and sovereignty disastrous economic policies.

The war bear witness liberation might have ended suitable independence in 1980, but Mugabe never stopped fighting. He ostensible in both pan-Africanism and Socialism. He shared friendships with say publicly likes of Hugo Chavez a number of Venezuela and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

There is no doubt explicit was a liberator of primacy country but there is extremely no doubt that he became an oppressor. His greatest defeat was his love for conquer. It was so insatiable give it some thought at one point he toyed with the idea of creating a one-party state. And wind love for power meant why not?

stayed long after he requirement have stepped aside and enjoyed his retirement with his family.

In Zimbabwean tradition, it is indistinct of to celebrate the eliminate of anyone, let alone well-ordered former president. While I'm disappointed by his passing, I'm extremely saddened by the state deliver which he left our admirer Zimbabwe.