As it happened: Mugabe resigns

Summary

Embattled President Mugabe resigns
Wild celebrations break out in the capital
Military thanked for helping force Mugabe out
US and UK welcome end of his 37-year rule
Resignation came as parliament began impeachment proceedings
New president expected to take office on Wednesday

Live Reporting

David Molloy, Emma Owen, Farouk Chothia and Dickens Olewe

Harare is 'incredible'published at 16:05 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
A Zimbabwean pro-democracy activist is livestreaming people's reaction in the capital, Harare, following the momentous announcement that President Robert Mugabe has stepped down:
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Tribute to Mugabepublished at 16:05 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Zimbabwe's Higher Education Minister, Jonathan Moyo, who was a close ally of President Robert Mugabe, has paid tribute to him, describing him as an "iconic leader".
Mr Moyo tweeted:
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Twitter reacts to resignationpublished at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
People have been reacting on Twitter to the announcement that President Robert Mugabe has resigned, ending his 37-year rule:
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State TV airs agriculture programmepublished at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Zimbabwe's state-owned television broadcaster is running a programme on farming, while parliament debates a historic motion to impeach President Robert Mugabe.
"Talking farming," that's the headline on ZBC's screen.
Image source, ZBC
Resignation letter 'delivered' to speakerpublished at 15:53 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
A ruling Zanu-PF party official in the UK has tweeted:
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MPs celebrate Mugabe's resignationpublished at 15:52 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
A journalist has shared a picture of Zimbabwean lawmakers celebrating the news of Mugabe's resignation, in this tweet:
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'Voluntary' resignationpublished at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
President Robert Mugabe has reportedly said that he resigned voluntarily, a BBC correspondent tweets:
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Impeachment debate 'suspended'published at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Breaking
The speaker of Zimbabwe's parliament has suspended the impeachment debate, Reuters news agency reports.
Wild celebrations have broken out in parliament, it adds.
Mugabe 'quits'published at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Breaking
A BBC correspondent in Zimbabwe tweets:
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Zanu-PF MP commends army chiefpublished at 15:34 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
MP Oliver Mandipaka from Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party has commended the army chief during his contribution to the impeachment debate.
He praised Gen Constantine Chiwenga for "jumping in quickly" to deal with what he saw a crisis.
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Mugabe has 'poor judgment'published at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Opposition MP James Maridadi is currently giving his reasons why President Robert Mugabe should be impeached.
He says that Mr Mugabe has a "poor sense of judgment", according to a tweet from a Zimbabwean academic who is following the debate:
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Mr Maridadi has also criticised the president for going abroad to get medical treatment.
Zimbabweans heading to 'impeachment venue'published at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
People who had gathered outside the Zimbabwean parliament are now making their way to the new venue after impeachment proceedings were moved to Harare's Rainbow Towers Hotel, which has a large conference centre.
Some are carrying anti-Mugabe placards:
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Impeachment proceeding 'under way'published at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
A news site that monitors parliament's activities is reporting that proceedings have begun to impeach President Robert Mugabe.
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Zimbabweans share dreamspublished at 14:50 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
An activist group is gathering comments from Zimbabweans about their dreams for the country.
The handwritten messages have been put out on strings to create a thread of comments:
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'Venue ready' for impeachment debatepublished at 14:36 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Zimbabwean MPs are about to resume debating the impeachment motion against President Robert Mugabe.
Proceedings are being moved to a hotel because the parliament building cannot accommodate members of both houses.
An EU official has tweeted this picture of the lawmakers at the Rainbow Towers Hotel:
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Scene outside Harare's parliamentpublished at 14:20 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
A BBC correspondent has tweeted a video of the scenes outside Zimbabwe's parliament, which is expected to impeach President Robert Mugabe.
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Mr Mugabe's comrade from the 1970s war for independence, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is behind the campaign to oust the 93-year-old leader.
Mr Mugabe incurred his wrath and that of the army after sacking him as his deputy, triggering the extraordinary sequence of events which are expected to culminate with the president's impeachment.
Photos of anti-Mugabe protestpublished at 14:13 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Here are some photos of opposition supporters protesting in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, to demand an end to President Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule:
Image source, Reuters
Protesters also demanded the release of activists detained by the security forces, which served Mr Mugabe loyally until a week ago:
Image source, EPA
Main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who was beaten up by the security forces and charged with treason for challenging Mr Mugabe's iron-grip on power, demanded free and fair elections:
Image source, AFP
His supporters expressed confidence that he could win a free and fair election:
Image source, AFP
'Great concern' in southern Africapublished at 14:00 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
President Robert Mugabe has been a powerful figure in the region
Regional leaders have noted with "great concern the unfolding political situation" in Zimbabwe, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has said in a statement.
The leaders of South Africa and Angola - Jacob Zuma and his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco - would travel to Zimbabwe tomorrow, the statement said.
Lawmakers, who are debating a motion to impeach President Robert Mugabe, will vote on the matter tomorrow.
The visit will be the first by regional leaders to Zimbabwe since last Wednesday's army takeover.
Read: The army chief who took power
Previous bid to impeach Mugabe failedpublished at 13:50 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
This is the second attempt in Zimbabwe's parliament to impeach President Robert Mugabe.
The opposition tabled an impeachment motion in 2000, but it was rejected by the ruling Zanu-PF party as "frivolous".
And who was the speaker who threw out the motion then? Emmerson Mnangagwa, the man whose sacking by the 93-year-old president has precipitated the current crisis.
It's a point that opposition MP David Coltart makes:
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Opposition leader demands electionspublished at 13:29 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2017
Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has called for free and fair elections to demand an end to Zanu-PF's rule.
Addressing thousands of his supporters at African Unity Square in the capital, Harare, Mr Tsvangirai said:
Quote Message
Now a democratic Zimbabwe is not going to be built by another undemocratic process. Now, continuation of Zanu-PF policies and Zanu-PF's character and culture must end... Let's have a free and a fair election."
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Morgan Tsvangirai says previous elections were rigged and marred by repression