Cheers as Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe resigns

The speaker stopped impeachment proceedings to say they had received a letter from Mr Mugabe confirming the resignation “with immediate effect”.

It is an extraordinary end for the world’s oldest head of state after 37 years in power.

Mr Mugabe said he is resigning immediately and voluntarily in order to have a “smooth transfer of power” .

The letter was read out in a cheering, dancing Parliament, which had been pursuing impeachment of the 93-year-old Mr Mugabe.

The resignation comes at the end of a week of events that began with the military moving in last week, angered by Mr Mugabe’s firing of his longtime deputy and the positioning of the unpopular first lady to succeed him.

Impeachment allegations against Mr Mugabe included that he “allowed his wife to usurp constitutional power” and that he is “of advanced age” and too incapacitated to rule.

Mr Mugabe was also accused of allowing unpopular first lady Grace Mugabe to threaten to kill the recently fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other officials.