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Zimbabwe’s Parliament Speaker Jacob Mudenda says President Robert Mugabe has resigned.
The speaker read a letter from Mr Mugabe shortly after parliament began his impeachment process saying the decision was voluntary, Reuters news agency reports.
Zimbabwe’s lawmakers were debating an impeachment motion against Mr Mugabe in a joint sitting of parliament.
Mr Mugabe had previously refused to resign despite last week’s military takeover, and days of protests.
Wild celebrations broke out at a joint sitting of parliament when Speaker Jacob Mudenda announced Mugabe’s resignation and suspended the impeachment procedure.
These were the same scenes outside parliament in the streets of Zimbabwe with citizens singing and dancing.
Mugabe’s sudden downfall originates solely in the rivalry between members of Zimbabwe’s ruling elite over who will succeed him, rather than popular protests against his rule.
The sacking of Emmerson Mnangagwa as Vice president two weeks ago signaled the beginning of the revolution in Zimbabwe with the military intervening last week and putting him under house arrest.
Mugabe has been in power since independence in 1980.
