LIVE updates: #Mugabe impeachment
Mugabe finally resigns after 37 years
16:15 GMT – President Robert Mugabe resigned on Tuesday in a letter submitted to parliament, Speaker Jacob Mudenda said. Wild jubilation broke out among MPs when Mudenda told the House.
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Jonathan Moyo on Twitter
“There’ll never be anyone like Cde RG Mugabe. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have served my country under & with him. I’m proud that I stood with & by this iconic leader during the trying moments of the last days of his Presidency. Democracy requires politics to lead the gun!”
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13:14 GMT – Thousands of people demonstrating outside Parliament with placards calling on President Robert Mugabe to step down. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai addressed the crowd.
Tsvangirai told the crowd outside Parliament that a “democratic Zimbabwe cannot be built by another un-democratic process.” Mr Tsvangirai said the culture of the ruling party “must end” and everyone must put their heads together and work toward free and fair elections.
“Now the question is, how do we end Mugabe,” said the opposition leader, who shared power with Mr Mugabe as prime minister for a number of years.
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12:49 GMT – Speaker of Parliament says joint sitting of the Senate and Lower House will sit at 4:30pm local time at a local hotel to begin impeachment process.
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12:47 GMT – South African President Jacob Zuma and his Angolan counterpart, Joao Lourenco, will travel on Wednesday to Zimbabwe, where 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe is under growing pressure to resign, South Africa’s state broadcaster said.
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12:46 GMT – Monica Mutsvangwa (Zanu PF) moved the #Mugabe impeachment motion seconded by James Maridadi (MDC). Monica is the wife of War Veterans chairman Christopher Mutsvangwa.
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Only 5 ministers in Zimbabwe turned up for a surprise cabinet meeting called by President Robert Mugabe while the other 17 attended impeachment proceedings against the former Zanu PF leader.
The cabinet meeting is the first called by Mugabe since a military takeover last Wednesday. Mugabe, who turns 94 in a few months, faced the start of an impeachment process later in the day.
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Mnangagwa urges Mugabe to resign
“The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call … to resign so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy,” Mnangagwa said in a statement.
Mnangagwa worried about his security
“I told the President that I would not return home now until I am satisfied of my personal security, because of the manner and treatment given to me upon being fired.”
The former VP also said he had left Zimbabwe after being told of plans to “eliminate me”.
What happens if Mugabe is removed?
He will be succeeded by the vice-president.
The military would like to see Mnangagwa step into that role but when he was sacked he was replaced by a supporter of Grace Mugabe, Phelekezela Mphoko, who would in theory assume the post. It is not clear if Mr Mnangagwa could be restored to his former position as Vice President.
