Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe strongman

Mugabe: One of the grand old men of African politics

When Robert Mugabe came to power in 1980 the talk was of peace and co-operation after decades of white colonial rule and a bitter civil war.

Click here to watch Jane Standley's video profile of Robert Mugabe.

Taking the helm of the newly renamed nation of Zimbabwe he was quickly elevated to the ranks of international statesman.

He has, however, always been regarded as something of a political enigma.

Raised and educated as a Roman-Catholic Mr Mugabe became a committed Marxist during the guerrilla war against the Rhodesian Front government of Ian Smith.

Taking power on a wave of popular support his early political promises of reconciliation and democracy were later overtaken by a strong authoritarian streak and a deep distrust of opposition.

Guerilla leader

Born in 1924, Robert Gabriel Mugabe was educated in missionary schools and received the first of his seven degrees from South Africa's Fort Hare University.

Returning to Rhodesia in 1960 he joined Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union (Zapu) but left three years later to form the rival Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu).

Jailed without trial for 10 years he left Rhodesia for neighbouring Mozambique in 1974 and led the largest of the guerrilla forces fighting a protracted and bloody war against the Smith government.

After months of negotiations the 1979 Lancaster House agreement set the seal on a Rhodesian peace deal and Mr Mugabe returned home to a rapturous welcome from black supporters.

He initially built a coalition government with Mr Nkomo, whose Zapu forces had also fought the Smith government, but the discovery of a large arms cache at Zapu-owned houses led to Mr Nkomo's dismissal from government.

A brutal crackdown on Zapu supporters followed, leading many commentators to compare Mr Mugabe's own approach to political opposition with that during the time of white rule.

The collapse of the coalition allowed Mr Mugabe to strengthen his hold on power.

Economic collapse

In recent years Mr Mugabe has become an increasingly outspoken nationalist, lashing out at the 75,000 white Zimbabweans and their alleged foreign backers for his country's economic collapse.

Mr Mugabe has made much of his devout Christianity, but his marriage to a former private secretary in 1996 - 41 years his junior and with whom he already fathered two children - raised more than a few eyebrows.

At the same time he has pursued what he regards as a deeply moral campaign against homosexuality making "unnatural sex acts" illegal with a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

A vocal opponent of colonialism Mr Mugabe has been criticised for committing his armed forces to what many see as little more than a wasteful colonial-style intervention in the Congolese civil war.

The war has also raised accusations of corruption, with government officials alleged to be lining their pockets from Congo's rich mineral reserves while Zimbabwe's own economy plummets out of control.

Opposition stifled

Local journalists who have tried to investigate these and other allegations against Mr Mugabe and his family say they have been intimidated and in some cases tortured.

Until recently, Mr Mugabe had always been able to stifle political opposition. His Zanu-PF party still dominates what is virtually a one party state occupying 147 out of the country's 150 parliamentary seats.

Growing discontent over the country's failing economy with inflation and unemployment soaring to record levels are starting to threaten his authority.

And with defeat for President Mugabe in the constitutional referendum, his long stated aim of handing over large tracts of fertile land from whites to blacks looks no nearer to being resolved.

The issue, which was a major cause of the guerrilla war for independence in the 1970s, looks likely to remain mired in arguments over compensation.