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The Zimbabwean Broadcasting Corporation reported this morning that Zimbabwe’s former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to be sworn in as the third president of Zimbabwe this Friday.
Mnangagwa is expected to fly into Harare today after fleeing to South Africa when he was fired by former president Robert Mugabe earlier this month.
“The former vice-president, who had been out of the country after he was sacked from both party and government, will replace Robert Mugabe who resigned this Tuesday.
“Meanwhile, ZBC has it on good authority that Comrade Mnangagwa will be arriving in the country today at 6pm, at the Manyame airbase in Harare,” reads a report on the ZBC website.
Mugabe tendered his resignation to the speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, yesterday afternoon. Mudenda read out Mugabe’s letter of resignation to a jubilant audience of MPs as they broke out in applause.
Outside parliament, thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets as they celebrated the end of the Mugabe reign throughout the early hours of this morning.
Read Mugabe’s resignation letter in full:
State House, Harare, Zimbabwe
21 November 2017
The Honourable Jacob Mudenda
Notice of resignation as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe
In terms of the provisions of section 96 (1) of the constitution of Zimbabwe, amendment number 20, 2013.
Following my verbal communication with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda at 13:53 hours, 21st November, 2017 intimating my intention to resign as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, I Robert Gabriel Mugabe in terms of section 96 (1) of the constitution of Zimbabwe hereby formally tender my resignation as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe with immediate effect.
My decision to resign is voluntary on my part and arises from my concern for the welfare of the people of Zimbabwe and my desire to ensure a smooth, peaceful and non-violent transfer of power that underpins national security, peace and stability.
Kindly give public notice of my resignation as soon as possible as required by section 96 (1) of the constitution of Zimbabwe.
Yours faithfully,
Robert Gabriel Mugabe President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Mnangangwa (75) was ousted after Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe was set to take over the reins of her husband.
It is still unclear what the future of the Mugabe family is.
After he fled to South Africa, Mnangangwa said in a statement on Tuesday that he would not return to Zimbabwe unless his safety was guaranteed.
The portfolio committee on international relations and cooperation has urged the South African government to support Zimbabwe as it transitions from one leader to the next, in order “to support Zimbabwe in a way that will guarantee social, economic and political stability following the resignation of President Robert Mugabe”.
“The departure of President Mugabe marks the end of an era, and inaugurates an opportunity for Zimbabweans to collectively attend to their social, economic, and political challenges. The committee congratulates the people of Zimbabwe for guaranteeing the safety of President Mugabe, and the matured and relatively peaceful way in which this transition is being handled,” chairperson of the committee, Siphosezwe Masango said earlier today.
The committee recommended that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State “provide strategic assistance to all stakeholders in Zimbabwe if so requested”.
President Jacob Zuma, chairperson of SADC, was meant to fly into Zimbabwe today to “assess” the situation alongside chairperson of the SADC organ on politics‚ defence and security cooperation‚ President Joao Lourenco of Angola, but the trip was cancelled.
