Who is Robert Mugabe? The Zimbabwe tyrant’s reign of torture and economic catastrophe

The 93-year-old has always been respected and feared rather than loved. His rule over an optimistic state liberated from British rule has been overshadowed by bloodshed, torture, persecution of political opponents, intimidation and vote-rigging on a grand scale.

His increasingly authoritarian regime and its disastrous land policies has brought massive economic crisis to mineral-rich Zimbabwe which was once one of Africa’s richest countries. 

The former school teacher was a leading figure in the battle for independence when Zimbabwe was known as Rhodesia.

He became publicity secretary of the National Democratic Party in 1960 and the following year was appointed acting secretary-general of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union, which was eventually banned.

He was jailed for 10 years without trial for making a “subversive speech” in 1964 but re-joined the growing armed movement against the unpopular minority white rule on his release.

He led a protracted guerrilla war for independence from neighbouring Mozambique before returning to Rhodesia in 1979 and becoming prime minister of the newly-independent and renamed Zimbabwe a year later.

Initially, Mr Mugabe was praised for breathing new life into the country by expanding its social services and improving the infrastructure with a programme of building schools and hospitals.

But at the same time he was also overseeing a brutal crackdown on political opponents which claimed as many as 20,000 lives.

He abolished the role of prime minister in 1987 when he assumed the presidency and since then has won a series of controversial elections that critics claim were rigged.

He lost a 2008 election to Morgan Tsvangirai, sparking political violence that human rights groups say claimed more than 200 lives. 

Later that year he  was stripped of his honorary knighthood, awarded in 1994, over what the Foreign Office described as his abuse of human rights and “abject disregard” for democracy.

In late 2015 he was awarded China’s alternative to the Nobel Peace Prize, the Confucius Peace Prize, for what its committee called his inspired national leadership and service to pan-Africanism.

Earlier this year he was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador by the World Health Organisation which was swiftly removed after a global outcry.

As he became increasingly obsessed with power it became clear he was lining up his wife Grace Mugabe as the next leader of his ruling Zanu-PF party.

The First Lady is a divisive figure in Zimbabwe and the subject of endless public fascination.

The couple were married in 1996 although Mrs Mugabe kept a low profile for many years before bursting onto the political scene in 2014.

Her lavish spending habits are also regularly scrutinised against the backdrop of crushing poverty and unemployment in what was once a relatively prosperous country.

Her recent splurges included the purchase of £3.5m mansion in South Africa’s posh Sandhurst suburb and a brand new Rolls Royce. 

Mr Mugabe had two sons and a daughter with Grace, while his first marriage produced one son who died. 

WHO IS ROBERT MUGABE’S WIFE? 

Her son from an earlier marriage, Russell Goreraza, splashed out on two Rolls Royces and had them air-freighted them to Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, Zimbabweans face shortages of electricity, water and fuel and banks are forced to ration cash withdrawals.

State employees, including some soldiers and policemen, have gone for months without payment of their salaries, deepening discontent with the government.

Last year more than 4 million Zimbabweans were needed food aid and Mr Mugabe’s government appealed for £1.1bn in relief support.

There have been growing calls by the opposition and critics demanding he to step down and the military intervention comes after a recent period of unrest within Zanu-PF.