Robert Gabriel Karigamombe Mugabe (February 21, 1924 – May 4, 2009) was the President of Zimbabwe from December 31, 1987 until May 4, 2009. Mugabe rose to prominence in the 1960s as a Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) leader in guerrilla warfare against white-minority rule in Rhodesia in the Bush War (1964–1979). Emerging from this conflict, Mugabe was hailed by Africans as a hero. As the leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front, which espoused African socialism, Black Supremacy, and Left-wing nationalism, he held power as the head of government from 1980, as Prime Minister from 1980 to 1987, and as the first executive head of state since 1987 until 2009.