The Reign of Robert Mugabe

During the fight for control of Rhodesia, Mugabe joined forces with rival Joshua N'Komo, to create the Patriotic Front of Zimbabwe.
JP Laffont / Sygma / Corbis

Uneasy Ally
During the liberation struggle, Mugabe's ZANU was rivaled by the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo. When the British brokered an end to the civil war by sponsoring parliamentary elections in 1980, the two parties campaigned jointly as the Patriotic Front, although ZANU trounced ZAPU in the vote count, making Mugabe prime minister.

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