Image source, EPA

A CNN journalist in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, has posted a video on Twitter showing today's headlines, including some classics from the Daily News: "Adios Bob!" and "Croc Rises As Mugabe Falls".

That last one is a reference to Emmerson Mnangagwa, nicknamed the "crocodile" because of his political cunning, who returns home today from South Africa and will be sworn in as Zimbabwe's new president on Friday.

The track used on the video is Jah Prayzah's Kutonga Kwaro (see earlier post - 'Sound of the revolution').

Fergal Keane
BBC Africa editor

Will this spirit of unity in Zimbabwe, this freedom from fear, endure under a new dispensation? I cannot be at all certain.

The presumptive new leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is mired in the excesses of the Mugabe era.

He was the deposed president's loyal henchman for decades and only struck against him to prevent Grace Mugabe, the former first lady, from succeeding to the presidency.

This was not a revolution to bring liberal democratic principles into government. It was about power.

That said, there are significant pressures on the new leader to embark on a programme of meaningful change.

The corruption and tyranny of the past will not attract the international financial aid and investment that is needed to rescue the nation's shattered economy.

Mr Mnangagwa will face a strong challenge if he tries to mire Zimbabwe in the despotism of the past.

His instincts are authoritarian but he will not have the same scope for repression as Robert Mugabe.

Read Fergal Keane's full piece

How did the son of a carpenter, who was the third of six children, go from being celebrated as a freedom fighter to being denounced as a ruthless tyrant?

Journalist Farayi Mungazi reports on the rise and decline of Robert Mugabe's political career:

More highlights from BBC Focus on Africa

Award-winning Zimbabwean musician Jah Prayzah, who has the military's blessing to wear army fatigues, has arguably become the soundtrack to Robert Mugabe's fall from power.

On Sunday jubilating politicians sang along to one of his tracks after Mr Mugabe was sacked as Zanu-PF party leader.

He is now being referred to by some as the "sound of the revolution".

Here is he is performing at an awards ceremony last night (fast-forward to the end to see his entertaining final flourish):

And here are scenes from the governing Zanu-PF party's headquarters with the politicians dancing and singing along to Kutonga Kwaro, which means "to rule properly":

Despite Jah Prayzah's choice of clothes and the use of his song by Zanu-PF, in a tweet this morning he denied he was operating on behalf of those in power - but, like many other Zimbabweans, seemed equally excited by the news:

Zimbabwe's President-to-be Emmerson Mnangagwa has met South Africa's leader Jacob Zuma ahead of his return home later today.

Mr Zuma's office has just tweeted photos of their meeting:

Mr Zuma had been due in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, today to mediate in the crisis - but he cancelled his trip after Robert Mugabe's resignation as president.

More Zimbabweans carrying placards to welcome back their "hero" Emmerson Mnangagwa, the country's former vice-president, are arriving at an airbase in the capital, Harare.

The BBC's Sophie Ribstein snapped some of his excited supporters in the crowd:

According to a tweet from the media group 263Chat, Mr Mnangagwa - nicknamed "the crocodile" because of his political shrewdness - is expected to make an address at the ruling Zanu-PF headquarters in Harare after his arrival:

Read more about the man who is about to become Zimbabwe's new president: The 'crocodile' who snapped back

Zimbabweans are still sharing their reactions to news that Robert Mugabe has stepped down as president - many posting street celebrations. The hashtags #newzimbabwe, #mugaberesigns and #NewEra are among the most-used on Twitter.

Others joke that Zimbabwe's new start is a chance for them to personally wipe the slate clean - financially and romantically:

Image source, Bester Kanyama

Wilf Mbanga, a Zimbabwean journalist who lives in exile in South Africa, says the fall of Robert Mugabe as Zimbabwe's president means it is time for his fellow countrymen to return home:

Mr Mbanga knew Mr Mugabe well in the 1970s and 1980s. He told BBC Newsday’s Julian Keane that it was pathetic to see what his former friend had become.

Watch: Wilf Mbanga spoke to BBC Witness in 2014 about his memories of Robert Mugabe and why he went into exile.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Cartoonists around Africa have enjoyed marking the end of Robert Mugabe's 37 years in power in Zimbabwe.

Our selection starts in South Africa with EyeWitness News capturing a nation in mourning:

Kenyan-based cartoonist Victor Ndula reflects that it wasn't easy to persuade Mr Mugabe to go:

Uganda's Observer turns to Adam and Eve to reflect the fall of the former first couple:

And a South Africa cartoonist hints at caution amid the celebrations:

Zimbabwe's parliamentary speaker says he has been formally notified by the ruling Zanu-PF party that Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as president on Friday.

A group that monitors the country's parliament was at the press conference where Jacob Mudenda refused to take questions:

He said that, according to Zimbabwe's constitution, the presidential nominee has to be nominated by the party of the former president.

This nominee must then to be sworn in within 48 hours.

Image source, Getty Images

China says it "respects Robert Mugabe's decision to resign, and he is still a good friend of the Chinese people".

China's foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang added that China's policy toward Zimbabwe would not change.

China's relations with Zimbabwe are deep, starting during the Rhodesian bush war.

Mr Mugabe failed in 1979 to get Soviet backing, so turned to China, which provided his guerrilla fighters with weapons and training.

Both countries formally established diplomatic relations at Zimbabwean independence in 1980 and Mr Mugabe visited Beijing as prime minister the following year.

He has been a regular visitor since.

Read more:What is the extent of China's influence in Zimbabwe?

Farouk Chothia
BBC News

Image source, AFP

The silence of South Africa's President Jacob Zuma and his governing African National Congress (ANC) to the fall of President Robert Mugabe is deafening.

It showed the enormous psychological influence the one-time revolutionary wielded over them - and they were so stunned by his humiliating exit that they were unable to respond.

All that Mr Zuma's office said was that he would no longer travel to Zimbabwe, as he had planned to in order to mediate before Mr Mugabe's resignation was announced.

"The visit has now been postponed until further notice," a statement said, failing to grasp the momentous development in Harare.

In contrast, the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) reacted swiftly, capturing the mood of both black and white South Africans when it said:

This applies not only to Mr Mugabe, but to Zanu-PF - the party which he has ruled with an iron-first since sweeping to power at independence in 1980.

As Zimbabwean opposition politician David Coltart poignantly remarked: "We have removed a tyrant but not yet a tyranny", referring to the fact that Zanu-PF remains in power, with one brutal and corrupt faction - led by independence war veteran Emmerson Mnangagwa - ousting another brutal and corruption faction that had coalesced around Mr Mugabe and his wife Grace.

The ANC is showing similar traits: It is wracked by corruption and violence, as rival factions fight to gain positions in government, primarily to enrich themselves rather than serving the nation.

Having swept to power 23 years ago after ending minority rule, the ANC now faces the challenge of either rediscovering its moral compass or threatening South Africa's democracy and economy - like Zanu-PF has ended up doing during its 37-year rule.

People have started arriving at the Manyame Airbase in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, where Emmerson Mnangagwa - the incoming president - is expected to arrive later today.

A Zimbabwean media group has tweeted these photos of the gathering crowds.

Image source, AFP

Robert Mugabe's decision to sack his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa prompted the army to intervene in Zimbabwe's politics last week.

His dismissal seemed to clear the path for former First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband as she was on course to be appointed vice-president.

However, opposition MP Priscilla Mushonga told the BBC's Newshour programme that blaming Mrs Mugabe for the crisis merely let Mr Mugabe off the hook:

It is a point echoed by the website Africa Is a Country:

Emmerson Mnangagwa looks set to be returning from exile at 16:00 GMT at Manyame Airbase, in Harare.

The state broadcaster ZBC says it has it on "good authority" that these are his current arrival plans - and that his swearing-in will take place on Friday.

Image source, AFP

Image source, EPA

When Emmerson Mnangagwa was sacked two weeks ago, he was not Zimbabwe’s only vice-president.

Phelekezela Mphoko is the other – a known supporter of former first lady Grace Mugabe – and in theory should be the incoming president.

However, the ruling Zanu-PF party has said that Mr Mnangagwa is going to be sworn in following a decision taken by its central committee on Sunday.

Mr Mphoko was out of country when the takeover took place a week ago – and according to Zimbabwe’s private Newsday paper has not returned home as he fears arrest, external.

The paper quotes a source as saying that he has changed his travel plans:

Part of the celebrations last night in Zimbabwe included a crowd acting out how Robert Mugabe may have signed the letter announcing his resignation as president.

The actor pretends to fall asleep midway, as several journalists in the capital, Harare, captured:

Zimbabwe's state broadcaster says Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the country's new president on Friday:

Robert Mugabe's former deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is likely to be sworn in as Zimbabwe's new president very soon.

One MP from the governing Zanu-PF party, Terence Mukupe, has appealed to the international community not to "paint our new president with a biased brush".

Talking on the BBC's Newsday programme, he warned that any politician involved in corruption would face justice:

A South African news anchor made an unfortunate blunder last night when reporting on Robert Mugabe's resignation, saying: