Harare erupts with joy as Robert Mugabe accepts his fate

Harare erupts with joy as Robert Mugabe accepts his fate
By Robert Hackwill

Mugabe resigns as Zimbabwe's president after losing cabinet and party support.

Singing has replaced sighing on the streets of Zimbabwe with the news of President Robert Mugabe’s resignation.

The country has been holding its breath since the veteran leader refused to bow to pressure and an army takeover, and he seemed ready to fight to the last.


‘We have a bright future! Because we have all it takes! We have the best economy in the world! We have the minerals, we’ve got the land, we’ve got the skills, we’ve got learned people! Our people are educated and people are hardworking,’ enthused one woman.


Mugabe’s position became untenable when it became clear he had lost the support of his ministers and party.


Mugabe had clearly hoped to rally his government behind him. But the vast majority of his cabinet boycotted a Tuesday meeting, attending his impeachment hearings instead.


Among the thousands of people celebrating could be seen people holding aloft pictures of army chief Constantino Chiwenga and former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa. The sacking of the latter precipitated Mugabe’s
downfall.


Members of parliament congratulated each other for standing up to the former strongman.


In the streets soldiers and civilians celebrated together. The army are the heroes of the hour, but Mugabe left no indication in his resignation statement about who should succeed him. Parliament says it hopes to nominate a new leader on Wednesday.


You might also like