Mugabe served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017.

Robert Mugabe was born to a poor Shona family in Kutama, Southern Rhodesia. Following an education at Kutama College and the University of Fort Hare, he worked as a school teacher in Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and Ghana. Mugabe embraced Marxism in order to fight British Colonialism, and the fact that Southern Rhodesia was being governed by its white minority. He joined African nationalist protests calling for an independent state that must be led by Zimbabweans ( Africans) who were the majority.  Robert Mugabe was convicted of sedition after making anti-government statements and was imprisoned between 1964 and 1974. On his release, he fled to Mozambique, established his leadership of ZANU, and oversaw ZANU's role in the Rhodesian Bush War, fighting Ian Smith's government.

Mugabe became Prime Minister of the newly renamed Zimbabwe after the 1980 general election, where Mugabe led ZANU-PF to victory. Mugabe is the 2nd President of Zimbabwe. The first was Canaan Banana who was Pres from 1980 to 1986. Mugabe was Pres from 31 Dec 1987 to 21 Nov 2017. Mugabe Imprisonment: 1963–1975. Robert Mugabe was first imprisoned at Salisbury Maximum Security Prison, before being moved to the Wha Wha detention centre and then the Sikombela detention centre in Que Que.

While imprisoned between 1963–1975 Robert Mugabe used his teaching skills and organised classes for the inmates, teaching them basic literacy, maths, and English. Mugabe taught in Ghana where he had obtained a local certification at Achimota College between 1958–1960. He later taught St Mary's Teacher Training College and also Apowa Secondary School in Takoradi.

According to Robert Mugabe as to why he went to Ghana, he said wanted to see what it would be like in an "independent African state." Ghana had been the first African state to gain independence (6 March 1957), from European colonial powers under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah.

Controversies during Mugabes tenure:
--Gukurahundi killings from January 1983,when a campaign of terror was waged against the Ndebele people in Matabeleland in western Zimbabwe.
-- Pro African land seizures leading to poor relationship with former colonial master Britain

Controversies during Mugabes tenure:
-- Controversial elections between his party ZANU – Patriotic Front and former opposition (Movement for Democratic Change) leader Morgan Tvangirai's party.
-- Overstaying in power leading to his ouster by current leader Emmerson Mnangagwa

Africa Team