How Did Robert Mgabe A Mystery To The Rest Of The World

Robert Mugabe is something of mystery to the people of Zimbabwe and the rest of the world. He came from humble beginnings. He was the son of poor Shona tribesmen, his father Gabriel Matibiri was a Jesuit trained carpenter and his mother Bona a school teacher who was also trained by the Jesuits. Unlike many African rulers who create myths of their youth, his boyhood wasn’t one of great feats of masculinity or remarkable events. His life was that of a scholar, who got caught up in the whirlwind of African nationalism. He was born on 21 February 1924, several months after Southern Rhodesia became a part of the British Empire. The situation was already tough for native Africans, and the entrance into the empire made things tougher for the native community. Most of the native Africans never progressed past grammar school, and the strict laws that gave the white
While attending Fort Hare he was an outstanding student and once again stood out from his peers. This period was also his introduction to Marxism and its ideals. He said that his “hatred and revulsion for the system started at Fort Hare…I decided I would fight to overthrow it.” After earning his degree he again returned to Southern Rhodesia with a set of different views. “I was completely hostile to the system…but of course I came back to teach within it.” Even though he was hostile he maintained his quiet demeanor and continued his studies by doing correspondence courses from the University of South Africa. The quiet demeanor changed in 1958 when he moved to Ghana and took a position at the Takoradi Teacher Training College. While there he saw the potential of an independent African nation and became a bigger proponent of Marxism. In May 1960 he took leave from his teaching contract to return to Rhodesia to introduce his girlfriend Sally Hayfron to his