Robert Mugabe has resigned as president of Zimbabwe after 37 years in power.
The announcement was made in parliament by the speaker late on Tuesday (Nov. 21) in Harare in the middle of impeachment proceedings against Mugabe.
Jacob Mudenda read out Mugabe’s resignation speech to MPs who had gathered to begin impeaching the 93-year-old president. Euphoria quickly moved to the streets, with Zimbabweans dancing in the streets and hooting their car horns.
The former president had called a cabinet meeting on Nov. 21 and less than a quarter of his ministers showed up, signaling the waning power the longtime leader had been desperately clinging to.
Instead, there were so many people gathered to witness impeachment proceedings against Mugabe that parliament was deemed to small. almost all members of parliament were present at a special session called to begin impeaching Mugabe.
The ruling Zanu-PF began instituting the impeachment process after the embattled president failed to meet their demand to step down by noon on Monday. Backed by the ruling party, opposition party the Movement for Democratic Change, tabled the motion. The motion is reportedly based on Mugabe’s advance age—93 years— and allowing his wife to “usurp power.” Then MPs, media and crowds moved to the larger Harare International Conference Centre to continue the process.
Outside parliament and making their way to the new venue, hundreds of ordinary Zimbabweans gathered, chanting “Mugabe must go!” Main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai addressed the crowd, calling for a free and fair election in the coming months, without Mugabe’s name on the ballot—which would be a first for independent Zimbabwe.
On Sunday (Nov. 19), Zanu-PF fired Mugabe as president of the party, meaning he should have stepped down as state president. Instead, Mugabe barely acknowledged the extraordinary party meeting that happened just a few hours earlier. He announced his intention, to preside over Zanu-PF’s elective conference in December.
In a televised address, Mugabe spoke of the economy and reconciliation, but showed no signs of stepping down. But, with reports emerging that he was “munching maize” and discussing anthropology as thousands marched toward his home on Saturday (Nov. 18), it’s no surprise.