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.
The announcement came during a parliamentary hearing to
impeach him, following a military takeover last week.
A letter submitted to parliament by the 93-year-old said his
decision to resign was voluntary on his part.
Wild jubilation broke out among MPs when Jacob Mudenda,
the speaker, told the parliament.
Impeachment proceedings against Mugabe began earlier on
Tuesday as the ruling party, Zanu-PF, attempted to remove
him from office.
Thousands of Zimbabweans had also turned up outside
parliament to urge on MPs, chanting, dancing and waving
placards in Africa Unity square
Shortly before legislators met, the man expected to succeed
him broke more than a week of silence to add his voice to
those calling for the ageing leader to step down.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, until recently Mugabe’s vice-
president and right hand man, urged the nonagenarian
leader to “accept the will of the people”.
Mugabe has been under house arrest and key allies of his
wife, Grace, removed from power since the military took
charge last week.
The ruling Zanu-PF party, which at the weekend voted to
make Mnangagwa its leader and demote Mugabe to a rank-
and-file member, introduced the motion to impeach and the
opposition seconded it.
Mugabe had refused to resign until the impeachment
proceedings were underway.
The case for impeachment against Mugabe, foccused heavily
on his age and the machinations of his wife for “usurping
constitutional power”, leaving a man who is still respected as
a hero of the liberation struggle against colonial rule as much
dignity as possible.
Mnangagwa, who is now set to become president, had 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
be behind the coup.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/21/robert-mugabe-resigns-as-president-of-zimbabwe