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Wednesday 22 november 2017 WORLD NEWS
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Robert Mugabe resigns as Zimbabwe’s president after 37 years

By CHRIS TORCHIA world’s oldest head of
FARAI MUTSAKA state, said in his resignation
Associated Press letter that legal procedures
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) should be followed to install
— Zimbabwe’s President a new president “no later
Robert Mugabe, who once than tomorrow.”
vowed to rule for life, re- “My decision to resign is
signed on Tuesday, suc- voluntary on my part and
cumbing to a week of arises from my concern for
overwhelming pressure the welfare of the people
from the military that put of Zimbabwe and my de-
him under house arrest, sire for a smooth, non-vi-
lawmakers from the ruling olent transfer of power,”
party and opposition who Mugabe said in the mes-
started impeachment pro- sage read out by parlia-
ceedings and a population mentary speaker Jacob
that surged into the streets Mudenda.
to say 37 years in power Recently ousted Vice Presi-
was enough. dent Emmerson Mnangag-
The capital, Harare, erupt- wa was to take over as the
ed in jubilation after news country’s leader within 48
spread that the 93-year- hours so that he can move
old leader’s resignation let- Zimbabweans celebrate outside the parliament building immediately after hearing the news that “with speed to work for the
ter had been read out by President Robert Mugabe had resigned, in downtown Harare, Zimbabwe Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. country,” said a ruling party
the speaker of parliament, Mugabe resigned as president with immediate effect Tuesday after 37 years in power, shortly after official, Lovemore Matuke.
whose members had gath- parliament began impeachment proceedings against him. Mnangagwa, who fled the
ered to impeach Mugabe (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) country after his Nov. 6 fir-
after he ignored escalat- “Welcome to the new Zim- dissent or sidelined oppo- hyperinflation, cash short- ing, “is not far from here,”
ing calls to quit since a babwe!” people chanted nents but, in the end, was ages, chronic mismanage- Matuke added.
military takeover. Well into outside the conference a lonely figure abandoned ment and massive jobless- Mugabe’s resignation
the night, cars honked and center where the lawmak- by virtually all his allies. ness. ended impeachment pro-
people danced and sang ers had met. “This is the “Change was overdue. And, while Zimbabweans ceedings brought by the
in a spectacle of free ex- best day of my life,” one ... Maybe this change will seemed almost universally ruling ZANU-PF party af-
pression that would have man declared. bring jobs,” said 23-year-old united in their wish to see ter its Central Committee
been impossible during his Euphoric citizens celebrat- Thomas Manase, an unem- an end to the Mugabe era, voted to oust him as party
years in power, whose early ed on top of cars, clus- ployed university graduate. the hard work of building leader and replace him
promise after the end of tered around a tank and It was a call echoed by institutions and preparing with Mnangagwa, a former
white minority rule in 1980 shook hands with soldiers many, and which pointed for what they hope are free justice and defense minis-
was overtaken by eco- who were hailed as saviors to the challenges ahead and fair elections sched- ter who served for decades
nomic collapse, govern- for their role in dislodging for Zimbabwe, which used uled for next year has yet as Mugabe’s enforcer, a
ment dysfunction and hu- Mugabe, a once-formida- to be a regional breadbas- to begin. role that earned him the
man rights violations. ble politician who crushed ket but has since suffered Mugabe, who was the moniker, “Crocodile.”q
Nigeria:

Mosque bombing kills dozens

By SAM OLUKOYA peace,” he added. Police
Associated Press spokesman Othman Abu-
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — A bakar told The Associated
teenage suicide bomber Press they were “still trying
attacked worshippers as to ascertain the number of
they gathered for morn- injured because they are
ing prayers Tuesday at a in various hospitals.” While
mosque in northeastern there was no immediate
Nigeria, killing at least 50 claim of responsibility for
people, police said, in one the bombing, suspicion im-
of the region’s deadliest mediately fell on the Boko
assaults in years. Haram extremist group. The
Bloody debris covered the group is based in neighbor-
floor inside the mosque in ing Borno state and has
Mubi town in Adamawa been blamed for scores
state where worshippers of similar attacks over the
had arrived around 5 a.m. years. Tuesday’s attack
Outside, people gathered was the first since Mubi
around the dead. Presi- town was liberated from
dent Muhammadu Bu- Boko Haram insurgents in
hari tweeted that he was 2014. Boko Haram increas-
“saddened by the very ingly has been using teen-
cruel and dastardly suicide agers or young women as
bombing attack.” “May bombers, many of whom
the souls of the dead rest in have been abducted.q