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
A spokesman for South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has confirmed that he and Angola's leader Joao Lourenco will go to Zimbabwe tomorrow for talks with all sides involved in the escalating crisis, reports the BBC's Milton Nkosi from Johannesburg.
South Africa's President Jacob Zuma and his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco will fly to Zimbabwe tomorrow for talks aimed at resolving the crisis over President Robert Mugabe's refusal to step down, a journalist with South Africa's public broadcaster has tweeted:
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Regional leaders met in Angola today for an emergency meeting of the regional bloc, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), to discuss the crisis.
A protest is taking place outside Zimbabwe's parliament to demand free and fair elections after President Mugabe's removal from office, a pro-democracy activist has tweeted:
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Zimbabwean MPs will debate impeaching proceedings against President Robert Mugabe at the Rainbow Towers Hotel, a senior member of the ruling party, Patrick Chinamasa, has said, according to this tweet:
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And the reason for moving the historic debate to a hotel?
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The hotel, formerly known as Sheraton Harare, has a conference facility.
The motion to impeach Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe was moved by ruling party MP and War Veterans Association leader Chris Mutsvangwa, and was seconded by opposition MP James Maridadi, the speaker is quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.
Other reports says it was Mr Mutsvangwa's wife who proposed the motion.
An MP from Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party has shared a picture of herself and colleagues at the parliamentary session called to start impeachment proceedings against President Robert Mugabe:
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Jessie Majome, who represents a constituency in the capital, Harare, had earlier shared a picture of herself holding anti-Mugabe posters:
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Zimbabwe's parliament has opened for a historic session to start impeachment proceedings against President Robert Mugabe.
"This motion is unprecedented in the history of post-independence Zimbabwe," Parliament speaker Jacob Mubenda said, AFP news agency reports.
He then adjourned parliament saying there would be a joint session of the House of Assembly and the Senate later today to debate the motion, a Twitter account which monitors Zimbabwean media says:
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MPs allied with Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace are also in parliament for the start of impeachment proceedings, a group which monitors parliamentary activities has tweeted:
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Crowds have gathered outside Zimbabwe's parliament to witness the dramatic move to impeach President Robert Mugabe - the man who has dominated politics in the country for more than four decades, first as a guerrilla leader and then as ruler.
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The historic parliamentary session in Zimbabwe is expected to start with a motion, laying out the charges against President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace Mugabe.
On Monday, Zanu-PF member of parliament Paul Mangwana said:
Quote MessageThe main charge is that he has allowed his wife to usurp constitutional power when she has no right to run government.
Quote MessageHe has refused to implement the constitution of Zimbabwe - particularly we had elections for the provincial councils, but up to now they have not been put into office."
Image source, AFPRobert Mugabe married Grace in 1996
If - as is likely - the motion is approved by a 50% majority in a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the Senate, a committee from both chambers will be appointed to investigate.
Should the committee support the charges, the president can then be removed if both houses back them with two-thirds majorities.
Mr Mangwana said the process could be fast-tracked and completed by Wednesday, "because the charges are so clear". But others insist the process could take longer.
Zimbabwean lawmakers have gathered in parliament to start impeachment proceedings against President Robert Mugabe.
A news site which monitors the legislature's activities has shared this picture of the scene inside parliament:
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Image source, AFPZimbabweans accuse Mr Mugabe's government of ruining the economy
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has been in power since independence in 1980. He has won elections, but over the past 15 years these have been marred by violence against political opponents.
Above all, Mr Mugabe has presided over a deepening economic crisis. Zimbabweans are on average 15% poorer now than they were in 1980.
What triggered moves to oust him was the dismissal of his former comrade, Emmerson Mnangagwa, as vice-president two weeks ago.
The move was seen by many as clearing the way for Mr Mugabe's wife Grace to succeed her husband as leader.
The move riled top soldiers, who stepped in and put Mr Mugabe under house arrest. However he remains president, and in recent days has defied calls from his own party and from protesters to stand down.
In a further sign of his dwindling authority, only a handful of his ministers turned up for a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Rallies and prayers are being held in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, ahead of the move by MPs in parliament to begin impeachment proceedings against President Robert Mugabe, as these tweets show:
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Image source, Getty ImagesIan Khama says Zimbabweans have lived with bad leadership for a long time
Botswana's President Ian Khama has written an open letter to his Zimbabwean counterpart, Robert Mugabe, calling on him to resign.
Noting that he was breaching "the normal method of communication between leaders", Mr Khama said Mr Mugabe, 93, should listen to the wishes of his people and "do the honourable thing by voluntarily relinquishing power".
He adds:
Quote MessageThe people of Zimbabwe have for a long time been subjected to untold suffering as a result of poor governance under your leadership."
Quote MessageIt is therefore my conviction that by vacating the Presidency, this will usher in a new political dispensation that will pave the way for the much needed socio-economic recovery in Zimbabwe.
Quote MessageI therefore reiterate my appeal to you to honourably step aside, if you really care for them, as you profess, and if you cannot find it in you to do so."
Image source, AFPRobert Mugabe (L) and his wife Grace (R) were accused of turning Zimbabwe into their "private property"
Zimbabwe's Parliament is due to convene within the next 30 minutes to begin impeachment proceedings against President Robert Mugabe.
Impeachment is the ultimate humiliation for a president. Lawmakers act as jurors, convicting him of various offences.
In the 93-year-old's case, he is accused of being "incapacitated", and of allowing his 53-year-old wife, Grace Mugabe, to usurp his presidential powers.
Usually, when the ruling party - or parliament - want to remove a president, they go for the less humiliating option of passing a no-confidence vote in him.
But Mr Mugabe's opponents - who have rallied behind his sacked deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa - have decided to go for the kill.
Stay with us as we cover all the drama.
The Reuters news agency is reporting that five ministers and the attorney general showed up for the cabinet meeting called by President Robert Mugabe.
The other 17 attended a meeting to discuss Mr Mugabe's impeachment, it reports:
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"All cabinet ministers" in Zimbabwe refused to attend a meeting called by President Robert Mugabe this morning, the leader of the War Veterans Association, Chris Mutsvangwa, has said.
This was the first cabinet meeting Mr Mugabe tried to convene since last Wednesday's army takeover.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Harare, Mr Mutsvangwa, called on regional leaders, who are meeting in Angola, to urge Mr Mugabe to resign.
Image source, AFPChristopher Mutsvangwa (C) is closely allied with Mr Mugabe's likely sucessor, Emmerson Mnangagwa
Zimbabwe's state-run daily newspaper has posted a video of people celebrating in the capital, Harare, ahead of the historic parliamentary session to impeach President Robert Mugabe, once hailed as a great African revolutionary:
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The daughter of the man widely tipped to be Zimbabwe's next president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been speaking to the BBC's Newshour programme.
Farai says her father, nicknamed"crocodile", is "dedicated" and "pushes his children to do the best they can".
Listen to her full comments:
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s daughter on the man likely to be the country’s next president
Profile: Emmerson Mnangagwa: The 'crocodile' who snapped back
MPs from Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF are said to have unanimously agreed to impeach President Robert Mugabe following a meeting at their party headquarters in the capital, Harare, a journalist has tweeted:
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