ZIMBABWE REJOICES MUGABE FALLS!
Masses happy as 37-year rule ends with resignation
HOOTERS blared and cheering crowds raced through the streets of Harare late yesterday after word spread that Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe had resigned after 37 years in power.
Within minutes, people exploded onto the streets in a rush of euphoria and disbelief.
The announcement came after days of nailbiting as political, military, and social pressures built to force the 93-year-old authoritarian leader to quit.
But it was not only the streets of Zimbabwe’s cities, towns and villages that erupted.
The celebrations were expected to spread throughout southern Africa last night and today.
In Hillbrow, some of the millions of Zimbabweans who have taken refuge in South Africa hit the streets and poured their hearts out.
Mugabe tendered his resignation yesterday to speaker of parliament Jacob Mudenda just minutes before parliamentarians were about to vote for his impeachment.
Mugabe’s resignation letter marks the end of his 37-year rule‚ during the last days of which the strongman found his power usurped by the military‚ witnessed massive street marches against him and experienced rejection by his party, Zanu-PF, as its leader at the weekend.
It had appeared as if Mugabe would not step down from office when he appeared on state television on Sunday evening.
Parliament resumed sitting yesterday after a two-week break. A motion for Mugabe’s impeachment was moved by Zanu-PF senator Monica Mutsvangwa and seconded by MDC legislator James Maridadi, who made an impassioned plea to legislators from Zanu-PF to vote out the aged leader.
As debate concluded over the motion and parliamentarians prepared to cast their votes‚ Justice Minister Happyton Bonyongwe approached Mudenda with a letter.
Mudenda asked for a moment to study the letter and then indicated that he had cancelled the proceedings of the joint sitting of the national assembly and the senate, and that he had an important announcement to make.
Mudenda then read out the letter, which stated: “Following my verbal communication with the speaker of the national assembly‚ at 13.53 hours‚ intimating my intention to resign as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe‚ I , Robert Gabriel Mugabe, in terms of section 96 of subsection 91 of the constitution of Zimbabwe hereby formally tender my resignation.”
Jubilation broke out in the Harare International Conference Centre where parliamentarians had gathered‚ and the session of parliament ended.
There were tearful scenes across the political divide, which underscored the excitement.
Out on the streets of Harare, people sang, danced, cheered and spoke out.
“We are just so happy that things are finally going to change,” Togo Ndhlalambi, 32, a hairdresser, told reporters.
“We woke up every morning waiting for this day. This country has been through tough times.”
At the Rainbow Towers conference centre where the resignation notice was read out to a meeting of lawmakers discussing Mugabe’s impeachment, a framed portrait of the president was ripped from the wall, torn apart and stamped to pieces by a cheering crowd.
One person lay on the ground wrapped in the national flag, symbolising a shrouded body.
Many were in tears, brandishing national flags and often praising General Constantine Chiwenga – the man who led the army takeover – as the news began to sink in.
“We were reduced to worthless people under Mugabe,” said Yeukai Magwari, 33, a vendor dancing with a group of uniformed domestic maids in Harare.
“From now on we don’t want to see our elderly men and women sleeping in queues outside banks, and people reduced to being destitute after going to college.”
● See also page 13