Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (pictured) has granted Dali Tambo an exclusive interview inside the presidential residence with the first family. – image – www.biography.com

Patience is a virtue that is not often associated with people in the media. The charismatic Dali Tambo is an exception. He waited three years to get an interview with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. The host of ‘People of the South’ was granted exclusive access to the Mugabe residence where the Queen was once a guest.

Dali Tambo was invited to join the Mugabe family for lunch where he was privileged to get a glimpse into the life of the Zimbabwean first family. The Mail and Guardian reported that SABC 3 will broadcast the interview on Sunday 2 June at 8.30pm.

The show begins with the family getting settled at the table and praying before tucking into a hearty meal. During the meal, the Mugabes declare undying love and appreciation for each other. The conversation drifts from philosophy to religion to love and politics. The scene is unreal as no one in the public has ever seen the Mugabes interacting in such an intimate and affectionate manner.

The documentary will be shown in two parts and also sees Mugabe clinically explaining why he cheated on his first wife while she was terminally ill. Mugabe started a relationship with his current wife Grace while he was still married to Sally. He says: “…even as Sally was still going through her last few days, although it might have appeared to some as cruel, I said to myself well, it’s not just myself needing children, my mother has all the time said: ‘Ah, am I going to die without seeing grandchildren?’ So I decided to make love to her.”

Mugabe is extremely protective of his daughter Bona and tenses up at the mere mention of a husband in future. He expresses disappointment in his son Bellarmine who ‘does not take his studies as seriously as he should’.

Though Tambo and President Mugabe discuss politics in detail, the MDC is not mentioned during the entire interview. Zimbabwe will be heading to the polls later this year in the national elections. Mugabe assured Zimbabweans that he will not “desert” them. “We fight to the finish; that’s it. I still have it in me here.”