Zimpapers Logo

President Mugabe

Brenda Phiri Entertainment Reporter
A photographic exhibition celebrating the life and work of President Mugabe opened last Friday at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.
The pictures on display were taken from a new book titled “90, RG Mugabe” that was launched on the same night.
Speaking at the ceremony Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa, said the book and exhibition would inspire generations.
Langa urged people to judge the Pan-African leader through his works and not what those with hidden agendas say.

“It is the achievements of a great man whose life and struggle was not personal but for the common good of Zimbabweans in particular and Africans globally. He is one whom many insult and misname yet to us he is the champion of our economic emancipation through the land reform programme,” he said

“While the press is always awash with his story, a serious attempt at documenting his life has not been made in the manner such as this.”
The book — “90, RG Mugabe” — was an initiative by the Office of the President to compliment His Excellency’s 90th birthday, documenting his life and work.

It was done in conjunction with the National Arts Gallery of Zimbabwe and House of Books Publishers.
It had previously been set to be launched on May 25, to commemorate Africa Day.

The commemorative photo book is divided into eight chapters namely The First Family, Faith, The Struggle, Independence, The Popular Leader, The People’s Choice, The World Stage and Post-Colonial Development — A Luta Continua.

In 164 pages, pictures of President Robert Mugabe are infused with quotes and excerpts from his speeches.
The familiar as well as rarely seen photographs in the book were collected from different sources among them The National Archives, the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Silveira House Chishawasha, New ZIANA, Gloria Kodzwa and Southern African Research and Documentation Centre.

The majority of the pre-independence pictures are in black and white whilst the post-independence images are in colour.
The presentation of the pictures reveals two different worlds, a grey world that was rifled by injustice and oppression and another that is colourful and is defined by freedom, development and the pursuit of a great life for the good of all citizens.