Mugabe announces the merging of ZANU and ZAPU

Updated: 20 Apr 2020

Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) leader, Robert Mugabe announced that Rhodesia's political organisations, ZANU and ZAPU (the Zimbabwe African People's Union), are to be merged under one command after the political affiliation of the two groups in the Patriotic Front. The merged Patriotic Front helped Mugabe defeat the colonial government of Ian Smith in 1980. Since then Mugabe has been in power for nearly 25 years.

How we know this

01Preston, M, Ending Civil War: Rhodesia and Lebanon in Perspective, from GoogleBooks, [online], Available at books.google.co.za [Accessed: 23 April 2014]
02Cooper, G., Study Guide, from BREAKFAST WITH MUGABE, [online], Available at www.breakfastwithmugabe.com [Accessed: 23 April 20114]

Last updated · 20 Apr 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Mugabe announces the merging of ZANU and ZAPU. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012301

South African History Online (2011) 'Mugabe announces the merging of ZANU and ZAPU', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012301 (Accessed: 13 October 2026).

South African History Online, Mugabe announces the merging of ZANU and ZAPU [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012301, (accessed 13 October 2026).

"Mugabe announces the merging of ZANU and ZAPU." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012301. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Mugabe announces the merging of ZANU and ZAPU." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012301.