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Exit Mugabe, What Next for Zimbabwe, Hope or Mirage?

BY David Indeje · November 22, 2017 09:11 am

Robert Gabriel Mugabe resigned as president of Zimbabwe with immediate effect on Tuesday after 37 years in power, ushering in a new era for a country as uncertain as it is hopeful.

“…I Robert Gabriel Mugabe in terms of section 96 (1) of the constitution of Zimbabwe hereby formally tender my resignation as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe with immediate effect. My decision to resign is voluntary on my part and arises from my concern for the welfare of the people of Zimbabwe and my desire to ensure a smooth, peaceful and non-violent transfer of power that underpins national security, peace and stability,” he said in his Notice of resignation as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe as read by the country’s National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda.

However, Geoffrey York a journalist with The Globe and Mail’s Africa correspondent writes that “But every indication from Zimbabwe’s political and military elite is that the coup is simply replacing one faction in the ruling party with another. The personalities will change, and there will be some changes to economic policy, but the heavy-handed methods of running the country will remain.”

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Other developments from Zimbabwe as reported by Reuters Africa, Zimbabwe’s former vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa,is expected to be sworn in as president following the resignation of Robert Mugabe, will return home on Wednesday, a ruling party ZANU-PF official said.