Zimbabwe could have a new president as early as Wednesday following the resignation of longtime leader Robert Mugabe.
Top officials in the ruling ZANU-PF party said former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in either Wednesday or Thursday. Mnangagwa abruptly fled the country November 6 after Mugabe fired him, but he was expected to return Wednesday.
Car horns blared as people danced, cheered and waved in the capital, Harare, to celebrate the news of Mugabe's departure, which he announced Tuesday in a letter read out by the speaker of parliament.
Speaker Jacob Mudenda read out the resignation letter soon after lawmakers began proceedings to impeach Mugabe.
The letter said in part, "I, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, in terms of Section 96 of the constitution of Zimbabwe, hereby formally tender my resignation...with immediate effect."
There has been no confirmation of the letter from the president or his office -- but no denial, either.
The 93-year-old Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe since the country won independence from Britain in 1980.
津巴布韦长期担任总统的穆加贝辞职后，最快可能星期三就会有一位新总统。
执政的非洲民族联盟-爱国阵线的高层官员说，前副总统姆南加古瓦可能星期三或星期四宣誓就任总统。姆南加古瓦被穆加贝解除职务后11月6号突然逃出国。据信他星期三回国。
津巴布韦议会议长宣读了穆加贝星期二提交的辞职信。消息传出，首都哈拉雷街头汽车笛声阵阵，人们欢呼雀跃。
议员们启动弹劾程序后不久，议长穆登达宣读了穆加贝的辞职信。
这封信的部分内容说：“我，罗伯特·穆加贝，依据津巴布韦宪法第96条，正式提请辞职，立即生效。”
穆加贝本人或总统办公室没有证实这封信，但也没有否认。
津巴布韦1980年从英国独立以来，穆加贝就一直统治着津巴布韦。他今年93岁。