harare come power zimbabwe robert mugabe fete african liberation hero nation endure nearly century white colonial rule mugabe see since military seize power early hours wednesday target criminals around veteran president south african president jacob zuma say mugabe tell confine home otherwise fine educate urbane mugabe come power seven years liberation bush war nearly four decades independence 1980 many see power-obsessed will unleash death squads rig elections trash economy relentless pursuit control 93-year-old leader zimbabwe formerly know rhodesia know since independence britain west regard autocrat africa see anti-colonial champion mugabe say want seek another five years office last week dismiss putative successor vice president emmerson mnangagwa 75 boost mugabe wife grace 52 also see contender whose whereabouts unclear mugabe travel frequently singapore medical treatment age take toll leader zimbabwe influential liberation war veterans chris mutsvangwa tell reuters end painful sad chapter history young nation dictator become old surrender court gang thieve around wife bear catholic mission near harare mugabe educate jesuit priests work primary school teacher go south africa university fort hare breed grind african nationalism return rhodesia 1960 enter politics jail decade four years late oppose white rule release rise top powerful zimbabwe african national liberation army know think man guerrilla account seven degrees three earn behind bar late crush political enemies boast another qualification degree violence long bush war end mugabe elect nation first black prime minister initially offer reconciliation old adversaries preside boom economy long mugabe begin suppress challengers liberation war rival joshua nkomo face revolt mid-1980s western province matabeleland blame nkomo mugabe send north korean-trained army units provoke international outcry allege atrocities civilians human right group say 20,000 people die nkomo ndebele tribe discovery mass grave prompt accusations genocide mugabe two term prime minister mugabe change constitution elect president 1990 shortly death first wife sally see many person capable restrain end century lose constitutional referendum follow groundswell black anger slow pace land reform response uncompromising gang black call war veterans invade white-owned farm mugabe say correction colonial injustices perhaps make mistake finish war trench say 2000. settlers defeat barrel gun perhaps would problems farm seizures help ruin one africa dynamic economies collapse agricultural foreign exchange earn unleash hyperinflation economy shrink third 2000 2008 send unemployment 80 percent several million zimbabweans flee mostly south africa unapologetic mugabe portray radical african nationalist compete racist imperialist force washington london britain liken adolf hitler mugabe mind say nazi leader want justice sovereignty independence people hitler let hitler ten-fold country hit rock bottom 2008 500 billion percent inflation drive people support challenge western-backed former union leader morgan tsvangirai face defeat presidential run-off mugabe resort violence force tsvangirai withdraw score supporters kill zanu-pf thugs increasingly worry south africa squeeze pair fractious unity coalition compromise belie mugabe de facto grip power continue control army police secret service old age creep rumor cancer intensify animosity toward tsvangirai ease two men enjoy weekly meet tea scones quirky nod mugabe affection british tradition authority eve 2013 election mugabe dismiss cry autocracy liken deal tsvangirai spar ring although box hostile say shake hand time mugabe agents finalize plan engineer election victory manipulation voters roll tsvangirai camp say subsequent landslide typical man could always out-fight out-think opponents give devil due brilliant tactician former u.s. ambassador christopher dell write cable release wikileaks whatever outcome week events could usher generational change southern african nation mugabe zimbabwe 's liberator many oppressor