Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe has resigned

The parliamentary speaker has confirmed that Mugabe who has led Zimbabwe for 30 years and was the leader of Zanu-PF for 37 has finally stepped down.

Mugabe faced a losing battle as his own party fired him on Sunday and expelled his wife, Grace for life. The pair were also axed alongside several minsters and party officials including Jonathon Moyo and the leader of the youth wing, Kudzanayi Chipanga.

While Mugabe was defiant and refused to resign on live TV on Sunday, where he was surrounded by army generals, Zanu-PF said they would move forward with a motion to table several motions of misconduct and ultimately impeach him.

Mugabe’s resignation has effectively paved the way for Emmerson Mnangagwa who was re-elected to vice-president of Zanu-PF after being fired two weeks ago – to lead the party in the general elections next year.

Mugabe’s fall from power comes exactly a week after the army moved to take over the government, beginning with placing Grace and her husband under house arrest. The army, which is powerful and is understood to have backed Mugabe for many years during rigged elections and in persecuting his enemies in the form of opposition parties – is said to have tired of Mugabe after he fired Mnangagwa.

The former vice-president was at first a close ally of Mugabe having struggle credentials and commanding immense respect from the army which is led by Constantino Chiwenga. However, as Grace who was the head of the Women’s League became more critical of Mnangagwa, slamming him in many of her speeches, which ultimately led to Mugabe sacking his vice-president, the army swiftly intervened.

Chiwenga detained, physically assaulted and isolated Mugabe’s protectors and allies in a well thought out plan which saw the 93-year old resist calls for his resignation.

By Friday, the army had amassed support from all of Zanu-PF’s provincial branches, enabling them to vote Mugabe out during a special committee meeting on Sunday. Although Mugabe was being pressured to quit and addressed the nation on Sunday evening, he did not step down and still would not tender his resignation on Monday.

On Tuesday as parliament met to debate and table a motion to remove the liberation leader, Mugabe called a Cabinet meeting which was snubbed by his ministers. He then tendered in his resignantion, the speaker confirmed late Tuesday.

Read the live report of how Mugabe left office today

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