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Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe finally resigns, sparking wild jubilation on the streets of Harare

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe resigned on Tuesday, bringing to an end 37 years in power which he began as a hero of the struggle against white rule and ended as the man blamed for reducing

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe resigned on Tuesday, bringing to an end 37 years in power which he began as a hero of the struggle against white rule and ended as the man blamed for reducing his country to despotism and economic misery.

The streets of Harare erupted in celebration after Mr Mugabe’s resignation was announced during a joint session of both houses of the Zimbabwean parliament that had gathered to launch impeachment proceedings on Tuesday afternoon.

“My decision to resign is voluntary on my part and arises from my concern for the welfare of the people of Zimbabwe and my desire for a smooth, non-violent transfer of power,” Mr Mugabe said in a letter read out by Jacob Mudenda, the speaker of parliament.

The move was cautiously welcomed by the West, with the UK and the US calling for a peaceful transition to democracy.

Boris Johnson yesterday hinted that Zimbabwe could rejoin the Commonwealth, from which its membership was suspended in 2002 over a disputed vote, if free and fair elections were held. Mr Johnson said Mr Mugabe had been “a despot who impoverished his country”.

Mr Mugabe’s resignation letter made no mention of who should replace him as president.

However, he is widely expected to be succeeded by Emmerson Mnangagwa, a former security chief who fled to South Africa after Mr Mugabe fired him as vice president on November 6.

Zanu-PF, the ruling party, installed Mr Mnangagwa as party leader after ousting Mr Mugabe from the same role on Saturday. He could be sworn in as president by Thursday, the party’s chief whip said.

Mr Mugabe’s resignation came a week after Zimbabwe’s military placed the 93-year old president under house arrest in a soft coup prompted by a power struggle within the ruling party involving Grace Mugabe, the first lady.

In a bid to preserve a veneer of legitimacy and avoid sanctions, the military and its allies in the ruling the Zanu PF party attempted to persuade Mr Mugabe to resign voluntarily by threatening to impeach him and mounting a massive public march in Harare to demonstrate he had lost public support.

The head of the Zimbabwean armed forces, who executed the coup,  cautioned against retribution in the wake of Mr Mugabe’s resignation.

“Acts of vengeful retribution or trying to settle scores will be dealt with severely,” Gen. Constantino Chiwenga.

Mr Mugabe had initially refused to resign, and stunned Zimbabweans on Sunday night when he used a televised address, widely expected to be a resignation speech, to reassert his authority and announce he intended to preside over Zanu PF’s December congress as usual.

He faced further humiliation on Tuesday after almost no ministers showed up to a routine cabinet meeting he called at State House, his official Harare office.

Later in the afternoon lawmakers from both houses of parliament gathered in a conference centre to debate a motion that called for him to be removed from power for shortcomings including falling asleep in meetings and allowing Mrs Mugabe to “usurp” presidential powers.

The motion, which was tabled by Zanu PF and seconded by the Movement for Democratic Change, the main opposition party, was abandoned after Mr Mugabe’s resignation letter arrived in parliament.

Mr Mnangagwa had called on Mr Mugabe to heed the “insatiable” desire of the Zimbabwean public for change in a statement on Tuesday morning.

“The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call and resign forthwith so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy,” Mr Mnangagwa said in his statement.

It was not immediately clear what Mr Mugabe or his wife Grace would do next. He was reported to have been trying to negotiate protections for himself and his family in the days since the coup.

Source: Telegraph

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14 COMMENTS
  • amanuel November 22, 2017

    This is/ may be good news for zimbabwe and africa, one less dictator to deal with. But there is even better news comming from addis. The ethiopian government is contemplating to return badme to eritrean people. Iseyas/ hgdf will not like it for it will strip him of the excuse to enslave and control the young generation. He will not stop from creating other excuses but will have only slim chance to succeede. Death to dictatorship in africa.

  • Wedi Hagher November 22, 2017

    Its a good day for Zimbabwe and the world,
    A bloody dictator is gone, and Iseyas the monster and his clique will follow.
    In Zimbabwe this is just a start. They should not settle for anything other than complete removal of the criminal gang of Mogabe regime.
    In Eritrea, a similar scenario is possible, but people should not allow the top most criminal like Filippos to replace Iseyas. That kind of change would be a big cheating, and Eritreans are smart enough to avoid that happening. The end of Higdef era is nearing, Eritrea will live in peace with itself and its neighbors.

  • Efrem T. November 22, 2017

    amanuel or abdurahman, you seem to be so naive. The issue of Ethiopia vacating Badme is outside the control of the Eritrean people. If Ethiopia withdraws from Badme, well and good. But, unfortunately neither the Esayas government nor the helpless Eritrean public have any control over what Ethiopia does in relation to Badme.
    Furthermore, are the people of Eritrea expected to raise the same slogan as the Esayas government which is abusing them daily? Which comes first, the life of the people and their basic rights or some inconsequential piece of land? Ethiopia has been refusing to vacate or vacating Badme citing the Rules of War. It goes as follows: they will not relinquish territory captured in a defensive war until they feel secure and a peace treaty is signed.
    It is similar to the case of the Arab-Israeli war. In a defensive war, Israel captured territory both from Egypt and Syria. The territory captured from Egypt has been returned in stages after a peace treaty, however, due to the lack of any peace agreement between Israel and Syria, the Syrian territory is still in Israeli hands..

    • amanuel November 22, 2017

      Try to understand before jolting far fetched reasoning. When the government of ethiopia discusses such issue it is not a retreat or defeat but a change of strategy and will include conditions to agree up on with our dictator. One of them is certainly going to be disarming or surrendering or expelling of all armed groups from eritrea. They have upper hand for negotiating the terms they want. They will also do the same unfortunately. It is at its early stage but is being discussed within the government. Calm down and will hear more about it in future. Try to read news comming out of ethiopia. This is not a victory for iseyas at all but stripping him naked.

      • Efrem T. November 23, 2017

        Again amanuel or abdurahman, you are not only so naive but also a lousy product of your own dictator. You seem to be repeating the same dogma, with no results, that has been the slogan of your corrupt backward Arab sponsors for the last 50 – 60 yrs and still counting unfortunately.
        The current alignment of Eritrea with your evil Muslim desert Arab entities is bad for Ethiopia, but it can’t be good for the section of the Eritrean population, the Christian highlander, who sacrificed so much for so little, either. The Christian highlander of Eritrea was the backbone of the EPLF and it is the foundation on which to build a modern country that isn’t chained to your backward evil desert, politico-religious, superstition filled ideology.

  • Amazon November 22, 2017

    Is Isaias now officially the longest ruling dictator in Africa or is there someone else somewhere in the cursed continent?

    • Meretse November 22, 2017

      Hi
      Is Iisaias now officially the longest ruling dictator in Africa…?
      May be the answer is yes ;and if we continue to be silent he will rule the nation more than anyone in history.
      If we want a real change it is in our hands. A change by military generals is alawys risky. Most times it is like building a new roof on an old house ; somewhat something shiny on the top of the roof. Within a short time we will be able to witness the direction of the military. If any nation wants to have a real change the dictator along his military supporters should be smoked out.

  • Rahwa November 22, 2017

    Dawit

    How much does Higdef pay you, to keep people busy on side issue, away from struggle for change, by insulting them day and night ?.
    You should be ashamed of your self.
    ‘Anta wedi khomarit !!!’

  • AHMED SALEH !!! November 22, 2017

    Emanuel
    Ignore Jelfafat who have no business in Eritrean issues
    because they refuse to swallow the truth that Eritrea
    became sovereign nation . The cause of negative comments express nothing except frustration and
    haters sick mind . Let them get mad and cry like a
    baby .
    In case Zimbabweans political developments , they
    did it without violence or bloodshed which sends a
    positive lesson to learn for justice seekers around the
    world . I hope the military do not betray people’s
    expectation for better future .

  • Simon G November 23, 2017

    I have called comandante isayas to ask him questions but he said he can take only one question because he was going to swim at diga Adi Halo.
    Simon G: Is that true your highness is the longest dictator on earth?
    Comandante: you guys are using wrong equation to calculate this absurd assumptions
    Simon G: your highness, would you enlighten us
    Comandante: Glad too! I have been a dictator for a very long time but it is from different office. Technically, I have only oppressed the people for a max of 10 yrs, from the president’s office. The rest was done from the Sahil, Massawa office and now from Adi Halo.
    Simon G: how about if you use our equation?
    Comandante: Hahaha…that will make me the longest dictator, ever.
    Simon G: Which is?
    Comandante: ~50 yrs or so. Let me go to my swimming. Didn’t I tell you to ask one question?
    Simon G: Don’t forget to bring your swim suit.
    Comandante: I almost forgot it. Thanks, Simon G. I owe you one.
    Simon G: Really? Would you please resign and leave the country?
    Comandante: Not that kind of favor, Simon G. Don’t push it.

    Damn it. I was hoping he would listen and leave the country.

    • Kalighe November 23, 2017

      Brother Simon

      Thank for the joke.

      The monster believes only in military power.
      If you point a gun at him he will listen, else he doesn’t care at all.
      He and his comrades (military+spies) must be removed by force, that is the only language they understand. Also the only way to bring about a real change. If he will be replaced by his comrades, there will be no real change.
      A change similar to that of Zimbabwe, may lead to internal war.

    • Meretse November 23, 2017

      M*O*P*E
      M0bile Office of President Eritrea.
      What a show?
      Does he copy it from M*A*S*H
      ..empathy to mermaid in the dam
      Happy tnx gvng !!!

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