to the streets to celebrate. taken to the streets to celebrate. a huge day for zimbabwe. this is bbc news at 5. i'm ben brown live in harare, as robert mugabe resigns as president of zimbabwe. the resignation letter read out by the speaker triggered wild celebrations in parliament as the impeachment process was brought to a halt. zimbabweans pour onto the streets of harare in jubiliation, celebrating the historic moment. today, it's victory. it's victory in our hearts, it's victory for our children! his resignation ends his reign as president of zimbabwe of 37 years, presiding over a government

of political repression and economic chaos. we'll have all the latest development as the country's robert mugabe had standardly been resisting all the pressure on him to resign after the military takeover. he did not listen to the army, general or his own party or the people. that is until now. he finally got the message. zimbabwe's leader for nearly a0 years, robert mugabe, has resigned. there are almost no people in this country that wanted mr mugabe to continue in office. it has been an extraordinary day in the impeachment process against him had just been launched in parliament. people here saw no other way of getting him out of power than impeachment and in parliament motion of impeachment was

introduced very shortly afterwards, but a big crowd gathered outside the parliament. a letter was read out the parliament, announcing very briefly and curtly that he was resigning as head of state. he has been the oldest head of state in the world at 93 years of age. now finally he has gone. many in zimbabwe have only known one leader. we are so happy, we don't know what to say! we are overwhelmed. i am the happiest person under the sun right now because i always believed he would step down in my lifetime, and it has happened. it is time for the opposition to reorganise and ensure we will have a government that is

for the people and everyone has to be included. it is a happy day today. independence is finally here! in something akin to a slow and crucially peaceful coup, the army backed by the people and politicians forced robert mugabe from power. the gratitude was clear. after nearly four decades when dissent was rarely tolerated. and this is the scene inside parliament as the news was announced. life after robert mugabe now official after days of uncertainty. he apparently tendered his resignation in a letter. the pressure on him finally too much. earlier, an impeachment party. people, hungry for change, after decades of mugabe rule. opposition

leaders once jailed by the mugabe regime now negotiating his country's future. a democratic zimbabwe will not be built by another undemocratic process! the continuation of the policies must end! the human rights abuses and the constitution must stop. and this morning, a remarkable claim from the man once mugabe's deputy. the former vice president here being sworn in as sacked two weeks ago, a move which precipitated the current crisis. in a statement, sent from an undisclosed location, he almost accused robert mugabe of planning to have him killed. plans

we re planning to have him killed. plans were under that eliminate me, the road. he now looks set to return the leader. he said he could not trust his life in president mugabe's hands. his return could be imminent but the excitement now masks the deep uncertainty which comes with any momentous change of power. the peaceful protests in recent days bode well. the question is, how much of the political consensus created to overthrow robert mugabe will remain? this is been a pivotal moment, not only in the history of zimbabwe but the history of africa, one of the last dictators of this continent who is gone. we are not sure yet who will replace him but for the moment, the scenes of jubilation are absolutely wild here in harare, people going crazy. i was

down outside parliament. when the news came through, somebody said, mugabe has gone, and very quickly, people ran through the streets, blaring their car horns, and they are still doing that right now, hundreds of thousands of people out on the streets. the's talk to somebody celebrating. you are 27 yea rs somebody celebrating. you are 27 years old, you are unemployed, the economy here is a mess, you must be so economy here is a mess, you must be so happy now that mr mugabe has resigned? i am very happy. congratulations, zimbabwe! we have done it. after 37 years, but today we celebrate, we rejoice, we thank god for this wonderful day. we have seen oui’ god for this wonderful day. we have seen our country. god for this wonderful day. we have seen our country. i am happy. congratulations! africa! we have seen congratulations! africa! we have seen what we have done. support us.

we need a brighterfuture, we need jobs, we need anything. we are not economically stable. guys, i don't know what to say. i am really happy! did you ever think this would happen? not in my life. ithoughtl would die before he resigned. i don't know how to say it. tell us what it has been like living under robert mugabe in terms of the political oppression, the economic chaos. it was not easy. it was a tough journey. we had chaos. it was not easy. it was a toughjourney. we had no options. we had to support him, weather we like to not, but today change has come. we are independent, we're not talking about 1984. —— 1980. we have

done it, zimbabwe! celebrate with us! do you think this country could ever slip back into dictatorship? we do not know who will take over. it could be the man who was a ruthless henchmen of mr mugabe. you worried it might slip back into a rule like mr mugabe's? as long absences not mugabe. we want elections. but mugabe. we want elections. but mugabe has gone for ever. and the fa ct mugabe has gone for ever. and the fact the people are out here, they we re fact the people are out here, they were out on saturday in huge numbers, they are out again today, they cannot be put back. the genie cannot be put back on the bottle. you cannot put us back. no matter what our political difference, you cannot put us back, forward we go, backwards never. what you'd be doing tonight apart from staying out all night and celebrating? what else can

ido? party night and celebrating? what else can i do? party all night! cannot wait! thank you so much for being with us. just one of the very happy people who was out there on the streets and has come up to talk to us. let's show you the scenes around parliament where that impeachment process had just begun but extraordinarily, it was halted after just a couple of hours because robert mugabe's resignation was read out in that letter. no one was expecting it. they filled the impeachment process would have to go on for quite a while, maybe some people said it would take days to impeach him, other people said it might takea impeach him, other people said it might take a few weeks, but no one really expected robert mugabe simply to resign because he had been under incredible pressure to resign for days, and the army did not seem to make him resign and his own party did not seem to be able to make him

resign either. let's talk to a member of parliament. you are a member of parliament. you are a member of parliament. were you surprised at robert mugabe's resignation? it came as a surprise. it was also saddening. when the letter was read out, only half of the house was actually celebrating. almost every mp was in tears. a lot of guys were crying. we still love out of guys were crying. we still love our leader and we of guys were crying. we still love ourleaderand we did of guys were crying. we still love our leader and we did not want to go out like this. but as he only got himself to blame? he could've resigned a few days ago with more dignity before the impeachment process began. this is a 93—year—old. people around him, they

we re 93—year—old. people around him, they were advising him badly. they came up were advising him badly. they came up with the state capture and everything, we feel they should have given him better advice. that is why, when it happened, none of us we re why, when it happened, none of us were celebrating. i am why, when it happened, none of us were celebrating. lam in why, when it happened, none of us were celebrating. i am in a situation where i almost feel like crying because this is not what i wanted from a president. i did not wa nt wanted from a president. i did not want him to go out like this. but your own party, zanu—pf, turned on him, stripped of the leadership on sunday. one mp called him an animal who had to be got rid of. it was for his own good. it came a time when everyone thought, look, our president needs to rest. he is no longer in control of his faculties or able to make the right decisions. it was really time up. it is not an issue of betrayal. we actually saved him from himself. what do you think

of the role of the generals? that is what has precipitated this whole crisis and resignation. let's use the correct terminology. the generals did not take over anything. they acted within the constitution. they acted within the constitution. the key role is to make sure they protect the people of zimbabwe and defend the land. that is exactly what they did. it was no longer situation. the first lady denigrated everybody in the country. denigrating the vice president. someone had to put a stop to it. we are grateful that the general and army stepped in to make sure the order was retained. all i am asking for, the community is using these words, you are having another dictatorship coming in, you will have more of the same. but give us a chance, give zimbabwe a chance, do not paint him in the same branch, he

is his own man. but here's a man who may take over as president but has been accused of rigging elections, corruption. would you say to those charges? some people say he could be bad as mugabe. the acquisition is baseless. look at the jubilation. everyone in zimbabwe is very much happy, everyone wants to join everyone in zimbabwe is very much happy, everyone wants tojoin in. he will be a great leader. it is not fairfor will be a great leader. it is not fair for you to call him names and saying he will be a dictator. fair for you to call him names and saying he will be a dictatorlj fair for you to call him names and saying he will be a dictator. i am just saying that is what some people fear here. it is a small minority. why do you continue to look for bad things in us as africans? give us a chance. given the chance to bring this country to greatness, give us a chance to lead properly. robert mugabe had 37 and now we have unemployment to 90%, for example, people were not allowed to demonstrate on the streets until

saturday. that is why that will be put to an end. i was kicked out of the party and facing all kinds of imprisonment. but, even though i had threats on my life and i was kicked out of the party, i still respect robert mugabe, he is the founding father of this nation. we cannot forget about the bad things he did but he did good things in terms of his legacy. what we want is for us to go forward and say, how do we make zimbabwe great again? had we move forward ? make zimbabwe great again? had we move forward? with free and fair elections next year because these people we have been talking to, eve ryo ne people we have been talking to, everyone down on the streets of said zimbabwe can never be the same again, there cannot be political repression, there has to be properly free elections, freedom to demonstrate, do you agree with that? the reason people are able to say that, they know the person he is. that is why do they know zimbabwe

will not be the same. he rules by consensus, he listens to people, and thatis consensus, he listens to people, and that is what people expect. rule of law will be restored, we will be... it is about an issue of confidence. you will not have a situation where everyone is thinking of taking money out of the country. he will have a great zimbabwe again. thank you for being with us on this historic day, a moment that many zimbabweans never thought they would see, they are celebrating, i hope you can hear the noise down there. let's here from the opposition leader, a man who was at one stage a prime minister within at one stage a prime minister within a coalition government here but has been a thorn in the side of robert

mugabe. he has been talking to my colleague with his reaction to mugabe's resignation. we hope it opened the new trajectory for the country. rather than the mugabe culture. i am country. rather than the mugabe culture. iam hoping country. rather than the mugabe culture. i am hoping that the next leadership, even during the transition, must set a new trajectory where people are respected, and that the rule of law is respected. have you spoken yet to the vice president, emmerson mnangagwa ? will you endorse the vice president, emmerson mnangagwa? will you endorse him now as president? i have not spoken to him yet, but i hope that... he corrects the past. myself and him and others have to sit down and

redefine the future. will you be pa rt redefine the future. will you be part of the next government? do you think there is a role for you within his government now?|j think there is a role for you within his government now? i cannot find that. i am not keen tojump to his government now? i cannot find that. i am not keen to jump to that conclusion. my hope and wish is that we are able to craft a new framework for the next elections which will put in place the issue of reform, free and fair elections. as per the constitution. we want to extend the time frame through consensus. better still, we are entering a phase where there is national convergence and

inclusiveness. i hope that, during those discussions, those mountains will come to light. that was morgan tsvangirai speaking to the bbc with his reaction. it is the people who are speaking right now, the people right now in zimbabwe. running around the streets, dancing, singing, blaring out their car horns, it is a cacophony here in harare, and has been ever since the news filtered out that robert mugabe was resigning. i spoke to one of those who has been on the streets who is delirious with excitement. earlier, i spoke to linda masarira, who's a political activist, who told me many ordinary people would be happy now that robert mugabe has finally left office. i'm absolutely... i don't know. i've no words. i can't even express myself. it's an amazing feeling. i've got mixed emotions. i ran into the crowd earlier and i was crying and i was screaming because it's an emotional feeling.

i can't explain how i feel. i mean, i left zimbabwe when i was 17 and i lived in the united kingdom for ten years. i came back, i've been back for eight years and i have seen nothing but the worst in our country. we do not want mugabe at all. he's the one who engineered the gukurahundi. we were tired of this man. we are so glad he's gone. we don't want him any more and, yes, today, it's victory. it's victory in our hearts, it's victory for our children! i'm so sorry. that's ok. we understand. i think you're allowed to cry on a day like this! i think pretty much everybody in zimbabwe is crying at this moment. did you ever think you would live to see this day, though? i mean, it's been so long coming. i never thought i would. i'm an

activist and i have been fighting and speaking for the people, and i have been saying to the people, if it is not for my generation, if it is for my children's generation. i have got to children in school and every day you wake up, you do not know whether you have got food. it has been the worst experience. people are scared to go over the word. the word family does not mean anything to us any more because families are all over the world, in england and america. people want to come back home and they only see each other on the internet. for us, this is what we have always wanted. we do not want any more. he has gone, but are you sure that there is now real democracy coming to zimbabwe real freedom that they cannot put the genie back in the bottle ? cannot put the genie back in the bottle? what i say to zimbabweans is this, if we managed to do this

today, a historical moment like this, we can certainly bring democracy from tomorrow onwards because we do not know who the leader is right now, we do not have a president unless they have announced it, but the letter did not say who our leader is. but i want to urge zimbabweans, if we have come together today and said, we do not wa nt together today and said, we do not want this man and he has got to resign, we have to come together again and stanford democratic country going forward for our generation and our children's generation. do you think there is a reason. . . generation. do you think there is a reason... was the reason he went in the end the impeachment process, he was under so much pressure to resign? was that the impeachment process that did it? i think, honestly... robert mugabe have come toa time honestly... robert mugabe have come to a time when he started realising that the people did not want him. but right now, we are so thankful

that every process that has happened, from the march to the impeachment, everything, the people's voices. i want to thank the activists. our lives have been in danger but we carried on. every day somebody followed me. my family was scared for my life, i am scared for my life, my 13—year—old daughter sent me a message saying, we want you life, mum, because we have been fighting for this. so glad he has gone. that was just one fighting for this. so glad he has gone. that wasjust one of fighting for this. so glad he has gone. that was just one of the people who was out here celebrating this evening in harare, giving me her thoughts. as you can see, amazingly emotional. and why would she not be? this has been 37 years of rule in zimbabwe that has been a rule of political repression, and brutality and economic chaos. at one stage, inflation of many billions of

percent and unemployment right now of 90%. but some of mr mugabe's admirers will say he was the man who led the war of independence and liberation against white minority rule. robert mugabe was a leader who fought against white minority rule. his tight grip on power earned him the title of being the oldest head of state in the world. the 93—year—old leader has beenin world. the 93—year—old leader has been in power since zimbabwe's independence in 1980. he has continued his life as an international statesman despite a diminishing reputation as zimbabwe's economy crumbled amid corruption and violence. mugabe's rise to power began in 1979 when the lancaster

house agreement ended white minority rule. at first he protected minority rights. but, in the 2000s commie he changed tack. he led a chaotic [and reform programme including redistributing land from white farmers without compensation. the country's economy collapsed with runaway inflation figures. the central bank printed money on a massive scale. supermarket shelves are empty. a loaf of bread would cost you trillions to buy. mugabe's misrule prompted widespread protest. that was the birth of the opposition mdc led by a trade unionist who later entered into a power—sharing agreement with mugabe following a disputed election. the economic climate was unbearable, something that it climate was unbearable, something

thatitis climate was unbearable, something that it is still struggling to recover from. millions that it is still struggling to recoverfrom. millions of zimbabweans recoverfrom. millions of zi m ba bwea ns cross recoverfrom. millions of zimbabweans cross the border into neighbouring south africa, looking for a better life. they tried to pave the way for his wife, grace mugabe, to be his successor. the army found that unacceptable, saying that this is not a dynasty. and that is it from me. you have been watching special live coverage on this momentous day, the day of robert mugabe's resignation, live from harare. plenty more of those scenes from the zimbabwean capital throughout the evening here on bbc news. let's remind you of the moment when it was made known that mr mugabe was resigning. it came in the zimbabwean parliament a little earlier on. here it is. notice of

the resignation of the president zimbabwe. in terms of the provisions of 96 of the constitution of zimbabwe. amendment number 20. following my communication, mr speaker, the national assembly, on the 21st of november, 2017, my intention to resign as the president of the republic of zimbabwe, it, robert mugabe, of the constitution of zimbabwe, here by formally tendered my resignation as the president of the republic of zimbabwe with immediate effect.

president of the republic of zimbabwe with immediate effectm those were the scenes in the zimbabwean parliament as the speaker confirmed that letter from robert mugabe in which he announced his resignation as president after 37 yea rs. resignation as president after 37 years. the impeachment proceedings had just begun, so that resignation letter ca me had just begun, so that resignation letter came as a surprise to all those parliamentarians. you heard the reaction there and you will have seen the reaction there and you will have seen the reaction in the streets in the subsequent hours. plenty more to come on that subject in the next half—hour, but let's bring you the weather forecast now. fairly changeable weather on the way in the next few days. outbreaks of rain across scotland, northern ireland and northern england. a few outbreaks of rain which could be heavy for a time for wales in the midlands working the way eastwards in the next area of rain pushes in from the west into the early hours. temperatures in the south staying in

double figures, cooler in the north, and the wind picks up across england and the wind picks up across england and wales. a windy day to come tomorrow for england and wales. gusts of up to 70 mph on exposed coasts. that rain heavily across north—west england and southern scotla nd north—west england and southern scotland and it could fall as snow. temperatures a maximum of 15 celsius, the best of the brightness in the south and east. as we move into thursday, we drag in cooler air from the north. some snow over high ground in northern scotland. generally brighter across england and wales, some rain arriving at the south and west later, temperatures a maximum of 14 celsius. this is bbc news — the headlines. jubilation in zimbabwe as it is

announced to parliament that robert mugabe has resigned as president after 37 years mugabe has resigned as president after 37 yea rs in mugabe has resigned as president after 37 years in charge. his resignation prompted wild celebrations across the country — as his reign of political repression and economic chaos was brought to an end. todayit today it is his victory in for our children. in other news — a promise of more money in the brexit divorce bill from the government — but only if trade talks begin next month. zimbabwe's leader for nearly forty years, robert mugabe, has resigned. there were immediate scenes of jubilation in parliament and on the streets of harare when the speaker announced that mr mugabe had quit. a“; if: relentlessly ‘ roby!

a“; 2:2 relentlessly . rebel! mugabe a“; 22 relentlessly g mugabe to relentlessly for robefifiugebettf and relentlessly for robertfiugettettf and for so long, the news resign and for so long, the news just filtering down to the crowds. i have just been down there opposite the parliament, huge crowds have been there all day in unity square. they're cheering now as news comes through to them on their mobile phones, he had been under this almost incredible pressure, not only from the military who launched this ta keover last from the military who launched this takeover last wednesday, but only from his own party zanu pf who over the weekend sacked him as their they52222 zs. , “34522 2 2 2 =le