He was once called a liberation hero , but some groups now accuse him of racism . Mugabe became a household name during a guerrilla war against white colonial rulers . He was Zimbabwe 's prime minister in 1980 , then its president two years later . But the goodwill from his liberation struggle slowly ran out . Survey last year showed his party regaining power .
He was once called a liberation hero , but some groups now accuse him of racism . Mugabe became a household name during a guerrilla war against white colonial rulers . He was Zimbabwe 's prime minister in 1980 , then its president two years later . Survey last year showed his party regaining power .