1981- First Anniversary of Independence
First Anniversary of Independence
18 April 1981
On 18 April 1981, Zimbabwe celebrated its first anniversary of independence. As part of the celebrations, Nigeria donated $10 million to the government for staff development programs.
Much of the independence festivities were strained with issues between tribes. At an independence-day luncheon, Robert Mugabe complained that some foreign journalists had blown Zimbabwe’s post-independence travails far out of proportion. Specifically, he criticized them for raising the specter of civil war.
