History was made in Zimbabwe today as one of the longest serving president in Africa bowed to pressures and threats of impeachment resigned as the President of Zimbabwe after 37 years in office at the age of 93.
“I Robert Gabriel Mugabe in terms of section 96 of the constitution of Zimbabwe hereby formally tender my resignation… with immediate effect,†said speaker Mudenda, reading the letter.
Mugabe’s resignation come after threats of impeachment by his own party on Monday.
The former president had insisted he would still hold power in Zimbabwe despite a military takeover and a noon deadline to end his 37-year autocratic rule.
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In a televised address late Sunday, the 93-year-old veteran leader defied expectations that he would bring the curtain down on his reign, pitching the country into a second week of political crisis.
The speech provoked anger and disbelief among crowds who had gathered in bars and cafes to watch and raised concerns that Zimbabwe could be at risk of a violent backlash.
His once-loyal ZANU-PF party — who has already sacked him and told him to resign as head of state — warned it would seek to impeach him if he failed to quit by midday (1000 GMT).
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Both the army and the influential war veterans’ association were expected to hold briefings in response to the crisis triggered by Mugabe’s refusal to go.
Ahead of the ZANU-PF deadline, a noisy group of demonstrators gathered at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare to call for Mugabe to go.
President Mugabe would be remembered for humour and words on the marble.
It was an end to an era in Zimbabwe history after its independence in 1980 and a lesson to all seat tight leaders across African continent.
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