This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/21/robert-mugabe-resigns-as-president-of-zimbabwe

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Robert Mugabe resigns as president of Zimbabwe Hope and uncertainty in Zimbabwe as Robert Mugabe resigns as president
(about 1 hour later)
Robert Mugabe has resigned as president of Zimbabwe with immediate effect after 37 years in power, the speaker of the country’s parliament has said. Robert Mugabe has resigned as president of Zimbabwe with immediate effect after 37 years in power, ushering in a new era for a country as uncertain as it is hopeful.
The announcement came during a hearing to impeach Mugabe, and launches the nation into a new era as uncertain as it is hopeful. The man who ruled with an autocrat’s grip for so many years finally caved to popular and political pressure, hours after parliament launched proceedings to impeach him.
The move caps an astonishing eight-day crisis that started when the military took over last week in order to block the rise to power of Mugabe’s wife and her faction within the ruling Zanu-PF party, and then developed into a popular revolt against the 93-year-old autocrat. He had refused to leave office during an eight day crisis that began when the military took over last week. Clinging to the formal vestiges of power, he was unable or unwilling to recognise that after so many years of political mastery, he had lost control of both his party and the country.
A letter submitted to parliament by Mugabe said his decision to resign was voluntary. Mugabe, who outwitted and outlasted so many opponents during his life, had appeared determined to fight on, turning a televised address to the nation on Sunday, when he was expected to announce his own retirement, into a defiant description of future plans.
Wild jubilation broke out among MPs when the speaker, Jacob Mudenda, made the announcement, and cheers and celebrations spread through the streets of Harare. So when parliament speaker Jacob Mudenda announced that Mugabe had submitted his resignation in a letter, there was wild jubilation in parliament, replicated within minutes by large crowds on the streets of the capital Harare and in other major cities.
“We are elated. It’s time for new blood,” said William Makombore, who said he worked in finance. “I’m 36 and I’ve been waiting for this all my life. I’ve only known one leader.” “I’m excited for myself, my baby, the whole nation,” said Mildred Tadiwa, who was out with her five-month old daughter. “My daughter will grow up in a better Zimbabwe.”
Munyaradzi Chisango, celebrating nearby, said: “I’m 35 and I have children. I was born under Mugabe, and they were born under him. This is going to put Zimbabwe back on the map.” Exhilarated Zimbabweans raced up and down the wide boulevards of the capital as the sun set, honking car horns, waving flags, singing, dancing and cheering.
Impeachment proceedings against Mugabe began earlier on Tuesday as Zanu-PF attempted to remove him from office. Thousands of people turned up outside parliament to urge on MPs, chanting, dancing and waving placards in Africa Unity square. “We are elated! It’s time for new blood. I’m 36 and I’ve been waiting for this all my life, I’ve only known one leader,” said William Makombore, who works in finance. He was waving a flag he had stashed in his car since the weekend’s protests. “It is going to be an all-nighter.”
Though some still consider the former guerrilla a hero of the liberation struggle, many more reviled Mugabe as a dictator prepared to sacrifice the economic wellbeing of 16 million people to remain in power. There were no immediate details from generals, allies or party officials about what would happen to Mugabe and his family following his resignation. Always a ruthless operator, Mugabe is certain to have negotiated hard over the conditions for his relinquishing of power.The letter allowed him to leave office with some dignity left intact, but also meant the group behind his downfall can now present it as a constitutional transfer of power, rather than a change of government effected at gunpoint.
By the end, few options were open to Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe through a mixture of coercion, bribery and revolutionary rhetoric. Support in some branches of the security establishment, such as the police, had evaporated. The military generals moved against Mugabe due to factional struggles within the ruling Zanu-PF party, and with the support of his presumed successor Emmerson Mnangagwa, a party stalwart and liberation war veteran known as “the Crocodile”.
His fall will reverberate across a continent where hundreds of millions of people still suffer the authoritarian excesses of rapacious, ruthless rulers, are denied justice by corrupt or incompetent officials and struggle to hold even elected governments to account. Mnangagwa’s firing at the start of the month triggered the takeover and the subsequent unravelling of Mugabe’s control. The party that had bent to Mugabe’s every will for so many years was quick to turn on the 93 year-old, first evicting him from his position as party chief and then leading the impeachment drive.
The way is now clear for Emmerson Mnangagwa, the vice-president fired by Mugabe 13 days ago, to take power. He was appointed interim leader of Zanu-PF at a meeting on Sunday. But what began as a palace coup developed into a popular revolt against Mugabe. His downfall unleashed joy and extraordinary hopes, as hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans poured on to the streets at the weekend to call on him to leave.
The military has said it has no intention of staying in power and, according to the constitution, Mnangagwa should now take the place of Mugabe as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Crowds also turned up to cheer MPs when they began impeachment proceedings on Tuesday afternoon, and began singing, dancing and chanting in Africa Unity square. Though many Zimbabweans still respect Mugabe’s role as a guerrilla hero of the liberation struggle, fewer and fewer were willing to defend his recent record.
Shortly before legislators met, Mnangagwa broke more than a week of silence to add his voice to those calling for Mugabe to step down. He has ruled as an autocrat, prepared to sacrifice the economic wellbeing of 16 million people in order to remain in power. Industry and farming have collapsed throughout the country, while inflation has spiralled and only 10% of young Zimbabweans can find jobs at home.
Until recently Mugabe’s right-hand man, Mnangagwa, 75, is a veteran of Zimbabwe’s liberation wars and a former spy chief who has close ties with the commanders who led the takeover. By the end Mugabe had few options left as he controlled the country through a mixture of coercion and bribery papered over with the rhetoric of revolutionary movements. Support in some branches of the security establishment had evaporated and he increasingly alienated some of his former allies by openly supporting the political ambitions of his wife, Grace.
Opposition leaders in Zimbabwe have called for the formation of an inclusive transitional government but risk being sidelined by the army and Zanu-PF. Even Zimbabweans reluctant to criticise the man who led the country to freedom bridled at the prospect of a Mugabe dynasty. Much of the anger evident in recent demonstrations focused on Grace – and the faction that had formed around her.
Mugabe has been under house arrest and key allies of his wife, Grace, have been removed from power since the military took charge last week. Mugabe’s fall will reverberate across a continent where hundreds of millions of people still suffer the excesses of authoritarian rulers, are denied justice by corrupt or incompetent officials, and struggle to hold even elected governments to account.
Zanu-PF introduced the motion to impeach and the opposition seconded it. Mugabe had refused to resign until the impeachment proceedings were under way. The deal Mugabe has struck to leave power might tempt other rulers to leave before they are pushed, if he is able to protect his family and some of the assets he is thought to have accumulated while in power.
The case for impeachment against Mugabe focused heavily on his age and the machinations of his wife, leaving him with as much dignity as possible. Observers will be pleased that his resignation came under pressure from impeachment proceedings rather than at the barrel of a gun, because it offers a fig-leaf of constitutional cover to the transition of power triggered by military action.
Mnangagwa said in a written statement released on Tuesday morning that he backed impeachment as an “ultimate expression of the will of the people outside an election”.
He had fled into exile earlier this month after being ousted from his position in government and Zanu-PF by a faction allied to Grace Mugabe. His supporters are widely believed to have been behind the coup.
Emmerson Mnangagwa was Zimbabwe's powerful vice-president until 6 November, when he was fired by Robert Mugabe. Emmerson Mnangagwa was Zimbabwe's powerful vice-president until 6 November, when he was fired by Robert Mugabe. 
The 75-year-old former intelligence chief had been locked in a battle with the first lady, Grace Mugabe, to succeed her husband as president. In October she publicly denied poisoning him after he fell ill at a rally in August. The 75-year-old former intelligence chief had been locked in a battle with the first lady, Grace Mugabe, to succeed her husband as president. In October she publicly denied poisoning him after he fell ill at a rally in August. 
After his sacking, which was seen as an attempt to clear Grace Mugabe's path to power, Mnangagwa fled to South Africa. He reportedly returned on 14 November as the military prepared to take over the country, and is firm favourite to become Zimbabwe's next leader.After his sacking, which was seen as an attempt to clear Grace Mugabe's path to power, Mnangagwa fled to South Africa. He reportedly returned on 14 November as the military prepared to take over the country, and is firm favourite to become Zimbabwe's next leader.
He has strong support within the security establishment and among veterans of Zimbabwe’s 1970s guerrilla war, when he earned the nickname “the crocodile”.He has strong support within the security establishment and among veterans of Zimbabwe’s 1970s guerrilla war, when he earned the nickname “the crocodile”.
Despite allegations about his role in atrocities in the 1980s, much of the international community has long seen him as being the most likely figure in Zimbabwe to guarantee a stable transition and implement economic reforms.Despite allegations about his role in atrocities in the 1980s, much of the international community has long seen him as being the most likely figure in Zimbabwe to guarantee a stable transition and implement economic reforms.
Zimbabwe’s fragmented opposition will be hoping for an early commitment from any new ruler that they will be included in government and that polls will be held unless they agree otherwise. Coups have been extremely rare in southern Africa, and Zimbabwe’s new rulers will aim to protect a reputation for civilian rule and so avoid sanctions and diplomatic penalties usually triggered by forced transition.
Elections are due by August next year but it is unclear whether they will be held. The generals insisted from the moment they put Mugabe under house arrest that they were acting in his interests and in service of the state. Zimbabweans have largely praised the military for acting in the national interest.
The fate of Grace Mugabe, the divisive first lady, is unclear. The 52-year-old has not been seen since the takeover but has been held with her husband under house arrest at the presidential residence in the upscale Borrowdale neighbourhood in Harare. Mnangagwa, 75, the war veteran, Zanu-PF stalwart and former spy chief, is expected to be sworn in to replace Mugabe as president later this week. However, he is not the obvious face of change.
Along with 20 of her close associates, Grace Mugabe was expelled from Zanu-PF on Sunday morning. He was Mugabe’s vice-president and right-hand man for years, falling out of favour only as Grace’s political influence increased. Mnangagwa is dogged by many of the accusations of corruption and human rights abuses that tarnished Mugabe’s own record.
Since taking power, the military has arrested about a dozen senior officials and ministers. Several remain detained. Members of the ruling Zanu-PF have anointed Mnangagwa president in waiting, although his succession will not be automatic because he is no longer vice-president.
The purge has effectively destroyed Grace Mugabe’s G40 faction within the party, and underlines the degree to which her husband’s overthrow has been driven as much by competition for power within Zanu-PF as popular anger towards a dictatorial and corrupt regime. Mnangagwa was conciliatory in his only public comment since the coup, a statement issued hours before Mugabe announced his resignation.
Mildred Tadiwa was out on the streets with her five-month old daughter Ivana Chizhanje on Tuesday. “I am so excited,” she said. “My baby turns five months today and the president has resigned. “My desire is to join all Zimbabweans in a new era,” he wrote. “In that new Zimbabwe it is important for everyone to join hands so that we rebuild this nation to its full glory, this is not a job for Zanu-PF alone but for all the people of Zimbabwe.”
“I wanted to go out and celebrate with everyone but she is asleep so I’ve just come out to walk around and see for myself. I’m excited for myself, my baby, the whole nation. My daughter will grow up in a better Zimbabwe.” The fragmented opposition movement will be hoping for a commitment from any new ruler that they will be included in any transition government, and that national elections due to be held by next August will go ahead as planned.
Zimbabweans know that the change was driven as much by competition for power within the Zanu-PF as by popular anger directed against a dictatorial and corrupt regime. But for one evening they wanted to focus on celebrating the change they had almost given up hoping would come, the end of a rule which has defined generations.
“I’m 35 and I have children. I was born under Mugabe, and they were born under him,” said Munyaradzi Chisango, an engineer. “This is going to put Zimbabwe back on the map.”
Zimbabweans post video footage of tanks moving on the outskirts of the capital, Harare. Read moreZimbabweans post video footage of tanks moving on the outskirts of the capital, Harare. Read more
The army declares that Robert Mugabe has been detained at his residence as it takes control of the streets of Harare. It denies that a coup has taken place. Read moreThe army declares that Robert Mugabe has been detained at his residence as it takes control of the streets of Harare. It denies that a coup has taken place. Read more
Mugabe refuses to step down during talks with generals. Envoys from the Southern African Development Community are dispatched to Harare to hold talks at the presidency. Read moreMugabe refuses to step down during talks with generals. Envoys from the Southern African Development Community are dispatched to Harare to hold talks at the presidency. Read more
The president shocks Zimbabweans – and the wider world – by appearing in public at a university graduation ceremony. Calls for Mugabe to go only increase, but he clings on. Read moreThe president shocks Zimbabweans – and the wider world – by appearing in public at a university graduation ceremony. Calls for Mugabe to go only increase, but he clings on. Read more
Thousands of protesters flood Zimbabwe's streets demanding Mugabe's resignation. Read moreThousands of protesters flood Zimbabwe's streets demanding Mugabe's resignation. Read more
The head of Zimbabwe's war veterans' association says Mugabe should give in "now", but in another twist, the 93-year-old gives a public address that makes no mention of resigning. Read moreThe head of Zimbabwe's war veterans' association says Mugabe should give in "now", but in another twist, the 93-year-old gives a public address that makes no mention of resigning. Read more
The once-loyal Zanu-PF, the ruling party, outlines a plan for launching the impeachment process in parliament the next day. Read moreThe once-loyal Zanu-PF, the ruling party, outlines a plan for launching the impeachment process in parliament the next day. Read more
Parliament reconvenes for a session to impeach Mugabe, which is interrupted when the speaker announces that the president has resigned. Read moreParliament reconvenes for a session to impeach Mugabe, which is interrupted when the speaker announces that the president has resigned. Read more