Robert Mugabe resigned as president of Zimbabwe on Tuesday, parliament speaker Jacob Mudenda told lawmakers, ending a 37-year rule defined by brutality and economic collapse.
The parliamentary speaker has confirmed that Mugabe who has led Zimbabwe for almost four decades and was the leader of Zanu-PF for 37 has finally stepped down.
The 93-year old held on for a week after an army takeover and removal from his own ruling party Zanu-PF.
Mugabe faced a losing battle as his own party fired him on Sunday and expelled his wife, Grace. The pair left alongside several ministers and party officials.
“I Robert Gabriel Mugabe in terms of section 96 of the constitution of Zimbabwe hereby formally tender my resignation… with immediate effect,” said parliament speaker Jacob Mudenda, reading the letter.
Today as the parliament met to debate and submit a motion to remove the liberation leader, Mugabe called a Cabinet meeting which was ignored by his ministers. He then presented his resignantion that the speaker confirmed later on.
Mugabe’s resignation has effectively opened a way for Emmerson Mnangagwa who has been re-elected as vice-president of Zanu-PF after being fired two weeks ago – to lead the party in the general elections next year.
People danced with joy and car horns blared in the streets of Harare at news that the era of Mugabe, who has led Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, was finally over.