Zimbabwe's&nbsp;parliament has outlawed&nbsp;criticism&nbsp;of the&nbsp;government&nbsp;ahead of presidential and parliamentary&nbsp;elections in August, with violations of a new law punishable by up to 20 years in jail.&nbsp;

The Criminal Law Code Amendment Bill, widely known as the "Patriotic Bill", contains a clause that criminalises "wilfully damaging the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe".

Opposition activists said the law, passed late on Wednesday, was designed to punish citizens, civil society organisations and political adversaries of the ruling ZANU-PF party.&nbsp;

It has raised fears that the&nbsp;government&nbsp;could launch a crackdown on dissent ahead of the general&nbsp;election&nbsp;on Aug. 23, where President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be seeking a second term.

The 80-year-old's main rival is lawyer and pastor Nelson Chamisa, 45, who leads the newly formed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

CCC spokesperson and lawyer, Fadzayi Mahere, described the law as "dangerous" and said it aimed at closing the democratic space ahead of&nbsp;elections.&nbsp;

"ZANU-PF has reduced our great nation into an outpost of tyranny," Mahere told Reuters.&nbsp;

"None of it will work because Zimbabweans go to the polls with one mission - to win Zimbabwe for change. No amount of panicky despotism by ZANU will stand in the way of change whose time has come."&nbsp;

A ZANU-PF spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Zimbabwe's parliament has outlawed criticism of the government ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in August, with violations of a new law punishable by up to 20 years in jail.

Zimbabwe's parliament has outlawed criticism of the government ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in August, with violations of a new law punishable by up to 20 years in jail. The Criminal Law Code Amendment Bill, widely known as the "Patriotic Bill", contains a clause that criminalises "wilfully damaging the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe". Opposition activists said the law, passed late on Wednesday, was designed to punish citizens, civil society organisations and political adversaries of the ruling ZANU-PF party. It has raised fears that the government could launch a crackdown on dissent ahead of the general election on Aug. 23, where President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be seeking a second term. The 80-year-old's main rival is lawyer and pastor Nelson Chamisa, 45, who leads the newly formed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). CCC spokesperson and lawyer, Fadzayi Mahere, described the law as "dangerous" and said it aimed at closing the democratic space ahead of elections. "ZANU-PF has reduced our great nation into an outpost of tyranny," Mahere told Reuters. "None of it will work because Zimbabweans go to the polls with one mission - to win Zimbabwe for change. No amount of panicky despotism by ZANU will stand in the way of change whose time has come." A ZANU-PF spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Zimbabwe's 'Patriotic Bill' forbids government criticism prior to elections

Zimbabwe has applied to rejoin the Commonwealth, the group said Monday, marking a major step in the country's international re-engagement after Robert Mugabe was ousted last year.

Mugabe angrily pulled Zimbabwe out of the bloc of former British colonies in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year.

The Commonwealth said it had received a letter dated May 15 from Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa applying to re-join.

Member countries "very much look forward to Zimbabwe’s return when the conditions are right," said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland in a statement from London.

"Zimbabwe's eventual return to the Commonwealth, following a successful membership application, would be a momentous occasion."

Scotland confirmed that the Commonwealth would send observers to elections due in July or August, the first polls since Mugabe was ousted in November after a brief military takeover.

Mugabe was replaced by his former deputy Mnangagwa, a veteran ruling ZANU-PF party loyalist who was backed by senior military officers.

Mnangagwa has vowed to hold fair and free elections, and has pledged to revive the moribund economy by repairing international ties and attracting foreign investment.

Scotland called for "a credible, peaceful and inclusive (election) that restores citizens' confidence, trust and hope in the development and democratic trajectory of their country."

Britain said last month that it would strongly support Zimbabwe returning to the Commonwealth.

Zimbabwe had fractured relations with the West under Mugabe, who had held power since independence from Britain in 1980.

The government in Harare was not immediately available to comment.

The Commonwealth brings together 53 countries representing 2.4 billion people, under a charter pledging commitment to democracy, human rights and rule of law.

The last country to join was Rwanda, in 2009.

The organisation also holds an Olympics-style multi-sport event every four years, most recently in Australia's Gold Coast in April. 
&nbsp

Mugabe angrily pulled Zimbabwe out of the bloc of former British colonies in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year

Zimbabwe has applied to rejoin the Commonwealth, the group said Monday, marking a major step in the country's international re-engagement after Robert Mugabe was ousted last year. Mugabe angrily pulled Zimbabwe out of the bloc of former British colonies in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year. The Commonwealth said it had received a letter dated May 15 from Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa applying to re-join. Member countries "very much look forward to Zimbabwe’s return when the conditions are right," said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland in a statement from London. "Zimbabwe's eventual return to the Commonwealth, following a successful membership application, would be a momentous occasion." Scotland confirmed that the Commonwealth would send observers to elections due in July or August, the first polls since Mugabe was ousted in November after a brief military takeover. Mugabe was replaced by his former deputy Mnangagwa, a veteran ruling ZANU-PF party loyalist who was backed by senior military officers. Mnangagwa has vowed to hold fair and free elections, and has pledged to revive the moribund economy by repairing international ties and attracting foreign investment. Scotland called for "a credible, peaceful and inclusive (election) that restores citizens' confidence, trust and hope in the development and democratic trajectory of their country." Britain said last month that it would strongly support Zimbabwe returning to the Commonwealth. Zimbabwe had fractured relations with the West under Mugabe, who had held power since independence from Britain in 1980. The government in Harare was not immediately available to comment. The Commonwealth brings together 53 countries representing 2.4 billion people, under a charter pledging commitment to democracy, human rights and rule of law. The last country to join was Rwanda, in 2009. The organisation also holds an Olympics-style multi-sport event every four years, most recently in Australia's Gold Coast in April.

Zimbabwe applies to rejoin Commonwealth

Zimbabwe Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo denied bail on Monday and will be detained in custody until his next hearing on December 8.

Chombo is charged with three counts of corruption that allegedly took place&nbsp;two decades ago.

The charges, Chombo is facing includes defrauding the central bank, he was detained after the military seized power in &quot;Operation Restore Legacy&quot;, which it said was&nbsp;meant to remove criminals around former president Robert Mugabe.

Lovemore Madhuku, lawyer of Ignatius Chombo told media reports that he would appeal to the magistrate&#39;s ruling in the High Court on Tuesday.

&quot;We are hopeful that the High Court will show independence,&quot; Reuters reported Madhuku as saying.

Expelled from ZANU-PF Youth League leaders Kudzanai Chipanga and Innocent Hamandishe both were allied to G-40, also ordered to be detained until December 8.

The magistrate who detained Chombo said the former minister could abscond, influence state witnesses or be the target of a mob attack over the allegations that he abused his position.

In October, Chombo was appointed as finance minister and was among the members of the G40 political faction allied&nbsp;to Mugabe and his wife, Grace who&nbsp;was also expelled from the ruling ZANU-PF party.

Some supporters of new president Emmerson Mnangagwa have called for unspecified action against G40 but Mnangagwa has urged citizens not to undertake any form of &quot;vengeful retribution&quot;.

(With inputs from news agency)

Zimbabwe Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo denied bail on Monday and will be detained in custody until his case is heard on December 8

Zimbabwe Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo denied bail on Monday and will be detained in custody until his next hearing on December 8. Chombo is charged with three counts of corruption that allegedly took place two decades ago. The charges, Chombo is facing includes defrauding the central bank, he was detained after the military seized power in "Operation Restore Legacy", which it said was meant to remove criminals around former president Robert Mugabe. Lovemore Madhuku, lawyer of Ignatius Chombo told media reports that he would appeal to the magistrate's ruling in the High Court on Tuesday. "We are hopeful that the High Court will show independence," Reuters reported Madhuku as saying. Expelled from ZANU-PF Youth League leaders Kudzanai Chipanga and Innocent Hamandishe both were allied to G-40, also ordered to be detained until December 8. The magistrate who detained Chombo said the former minister could abscond, influence state witnesses or be the target of a mob attack over the allegations that he abused his position. In October, Chombo was appointed as finance minister and was among the members of the G40 political faction allied to Mugabe and his wife, Grace who was also expelled from the ruling ZANU-PF party. Some supporters of new president Emmerson Mnangagwa have called for unspecified action against G40 but Mnangagwa has urged citizens not to undertake any form of "vengeful retribution". (With inputs from news agency)

Former Zimbabwe finance minister Chombo to be held in custody until trial

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mnangagwa-zimbabwes-crocodile-to-snap-up-the-top-job-24852">Emmerson&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is&nbsp;sworn&nbsp;in as&nbsp;Zimbabwe&#39;s&nbsp;president</a>, bringing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/mugabe-era-ends-focus-now-shifts-to-ousted-vp-emmerson-mnangagwa-6882">the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe.</a>

Even though most&nbsp;Zimbabweans are jubilant at the exit of 93-year-old Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe&nbsp;from independence in 1980, the army&#39;s detention and rough treatment of pro-Mugabe ministers is worrying human rights groups.

Mugabe, the world&#39;s oldest serving head of state, resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, a week after the army stepped in to seize power.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;assured Mugabe he and his family would be safe in&nbsp;Zimbabwe&nbsp;when the two men spoke for the first time since&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;returned home this week, the state-owned The Herald newspaper reported on Friday.

They agreed that Mugabe may not attend&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mnangagwa-to-swear-in-as-zimbabwean-new-president-on-friday-25007">Mnangagwa&#39;s swearing-in ceremony </a>because of fatigue, the paper added.

Mugabe&#39;s sudden fall had been triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted&nbsp;Mnangagwaagainst Mugabe&#39;s much younger wife Grace.

Just two weeks ago, she seemed to have the upper hand after Mugabe fired&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;on Nov. 6 as vice&nbsp;president&nbsp;for showing &quot;traits of disloyalty&quot;.

That prompted&nbsp;Mnangagwa, 75, long one of Mugabe&#39;s most trusted lieutenants, to flee the country in fear for his life. It also brought tanks into the streets.

&quot;Vengeful Retribution&quot;

Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night after his return,&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;saidZimbabwe&nbsp;was entering a new stage of democracy after what analysts are terming a &quot;soft coup&quot; against Mugabe.

&quot;The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God,&quot; he told thousands of supporters.

However, there are growing signs that the military&#39;s intervention on the side of&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;is far from soft, with reports of harrassment of politicians loyal to Grace&#39;s G40 political faction.

Former finance minister Ignatius Chombo was admitted to hospital on Friday with injuries sustained from beatings he received during a week in military custody, his lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, said. Chombo was blindfolded throughout, he added.

&quot;It was a very brutal and draconian way of dealing with opponents,&quot; Madhuku told Reuters.

In the last 24 hours, rights groups said relatives of former pro-Mugabe ministers had also been harassed.

Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday.

Some&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;supporters have called for unspecified action against G40 and Grace, who was known as &quot;Gucci Grace&quot; for her reputed dedication to shopping, an affront to many in a country with an unemployment rate of 90 percent.

On Thursday,&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;urged&nbsp;Zimbabweans not to undertake &quot;vengeful retribution&quot;.

Bloodshed of&nbsp;1980S

Rebuilding a shattered economy and restoring investor confidence will be at the top of the agenda for&nbsp;Mnangagwa, who carries his own baggage after decades of service to Mugabe, who was widely accused of resorting to human rights abuses and election-rigging.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;earned the nickname &quot;Ngwena&quot;, Shona for crocodile, an animal famed and feared in Zimbabwean lore for stealth and ruthlessness.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;backed Mugabe&#39;s economic nationalism, especially a drive to force foreign firms to hand majority stakes to local blacks, suggesting he may not be the pro-market pragmatist many investors have been hoping for.

Most controversially, he was in charge of internal security in the mid-1980s when Mugabe deployed a crack North Korean-trained brigade against rebels loyal to his rival Joshua Nkomo.

Rights groups say 20,000 civilians, mostly from the Ndebele tribe, were killed. Mugabe denies genocide or crimes against humanity but has admitted it was a &quot;moment of madness&quot;.

Mnangagwa&#39;s role remains shrouded in mystery.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic a&nbsp;Mnangagwapresidency would not &quot;mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime&quot;.

The Southern African Development Community said it was ready to work closely with Mnangagwa.

Zimbabwe&#39;s bourse, which had been on a rapid rise, lost $6 billion during this month&#39;s military intervention as its main index fell by 40 percent. Analysts say it will fall even further before recovering.

Emmerson?Mnangagwa?will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is?sworn?in as?Zimbabwe's?president, bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe

Emmerson Mnangagwa will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is sworn in as Zimbabwe's president, bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe. Even though most Zimbabweans are jubilant at the exit of 93-year-old Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, the army's detention and rough treatment of pro-Mugabe ministers is worrying human rights groups. Mugabe, the world's oldest serving head of state, resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, a week after the army stepped in to seize power. Mnangagwa assured Mugabe he and his family would be safe in Zimbabwe when the two men spoke for the first time since Mnangagwa returned home this week, the state-owned The Herald newspaper reported on Friday. They agreed that Mugabe may not attend Mnangagwa's swearing-in ceremony because of fatigue, the paper added. Mugabe's sudden fall had been triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwaagainst Mugabe's much younger wife Grace. Just two weeks ago, she seemed to have the upper hand after Mugabe fired Mnangagwa on Nov. 6 as vice president for showing "traits of disloyalty". That prompted Mnangagwa, 75, long one of Mugabe's most trusted lieutenants, to flee the country in fear for his life. It also brought tanks into the streets. "Vengeful Retribution" Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night after his return, Mnangagwa saidZimbabwe was entering a new stage of democracy after what analysts are terming a "soft coup" against Mugabe. "The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God," he told thousands of supporters. However, there are growing signs that the military's intervention on the side of Mnangagwa is far from soft, with reports of harrassment of politicians loyal to Grace's G40 political faction. Former finance minister Ignatius Chombo was admitted to hospital on Friday with injuries sustained from beatings he received during a week in military custody, his lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, said. Chombo was blindfolded throughout, he added. "It was a very brutal and draconian way of dealing with opponents," Madhuku told Reuters. In the last 24 hours, rights groups said relatives of former pro-Mugabe ministers had also been harassed. Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday. Some Mnangagwa supporters have called for unspecified action against G40 and Grace, who was known as "Gucci Grace" for her reputed dedication to shopping, an affront to many in a country with an unemployment rate of 90 percent. On Thursday, Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans not to undertake "vengeful retribution". Bloodshed of 1980S Rebuilding a shattered economy and restoring investor confidence will be at the top of the agenda for Mnangagwa, who carries his own baggage after decades of service to Mugabe, who was widely accused of resorting to human rights abuses and election-rigging. Mnangagwa earned the nickname "Ngwena", Shona for crocodile, an animal famed and feared in Zimbabwean lore for stealth and ruthlessness. Mnangagwa backed Mugabe's economic nationalism, especially a drive to force foreign firms to hand majority stakes to local blacks, suggesting he may not be the pro-market pragmatist many investors have been hoping for. Most controversially, he was in charge of internal security in the mid-1980s when Mugabe deployed a crack North Korean-trained brigade against rebels loyal to his rival Joshua Nkomo. Rights groups say 20,000 civilians, mostly from the Ndebele tribe, were killed. Mugabe denies genocide or crimes against humanity but has admitted it was a "moment of madness". Mnangagwa's role remains shrouded in mystery. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic a Mnangagwapresidency would not "mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime". The Southern African Development Community said it was ready to work closely with Mnangagwa. Zimbabwe's bourse, which had been on a rapid rise, lost $6 billion during this month's military intervention as its main index fell by 40 percent. Analysts say it will fall even further before recovering.

Mnangagwa set to be sworn in as Zimbabwe president

Zimbabwe&#39;s incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare.

He will finish off the remainder of the term of office of former president Robert Mugabe till next election in 2018.

Mnangagwa, who had been out of the country since he was fired by Mugabe on Nov. 6, returned to the country Wednesday evening after Mugabe resigned Tuesday following military and public pressure.

The swearing in of Mnangagwa comes after the ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday nominated him as president of the country.

In his first public address to supporters on Wednesday, Mnangagwa pledged to serve the people, saying all&nbsp;Zimbabweans need to unite and grow the economy for employment creation.

Many&nbsp;Zimbabwean people expect that the new president could lead the country in developing the economy and creating more jobs.

Thousands of&nbsp;Zimbabweans living in neighboring South Africa are also waiting for guidance from the new leadership.

&quot;You know, if all the things are settled down, I think there&#39;s no need for us to stay here in South Africa. Because as you see, most&nbsp;Zimbabweans here in South Africa are not feeling comfort, you see. So if things are already good that side, there&#39;s no need for us to stay here,&quot; said Rowan KG Kome,&nbsp;Zimbabwean living in Beitbridge, Limpopo province of South Africa.

But they have not forgotten how Robert Mugabe once served their country.

&quot;I would like to thank him for what he did. He, first of all, is an old man. He worked very hard, when he was ruling that country. The only problem is that he was a tribalist. No one is one hundred percent (right). Everyone makes mistakes usually. The only wrong thing is that he was refusing to step down. He was sick and he&#39;s old,&quot; said Keifas Moyo, another&nbsp;Zimbabwean in South Africa.

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare. He will finish off the remainder of the term of office of former president Robert Mugabe till next election in 2018. Mnangagwa, who had been out of the country since he was fired by Mugabe on Nov. 6, returned to the country Wednesday evening after Mugabe resigned Tuesday following military and public pressure. The swearing in of Mnangagwa comes after the ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday nominated him as president of the country. In his first public address to supporters on Wednesday, Mnangagwa pledged to serve the people, saying all Zimbabweans need to unite and grow the economy for employment creation. Many Zimbabwean people expect that the new president could lead the country in developing the economy and creating more jobs. Thousands of Zimbabweans living in neighboring South Africa are also waiting for guidance from the new leadership. "You know, if all the things are settled down, I think there's no need for us to stay here in South Africa. Because as you see, most Zimbabweans here in South Africa are not feeling comfort, you see. So if things are already good that side, there's no need for us to stay here," said Rowan KG Kome, Zimbabwean living in Beitbridge, Limpopo province of South Africa. But they have not forgotten how Robert Mugabe once served their country. "I would like to thank him for what he did. He, first of all, is an old man. He worked very hard, when he was ruling that country. The only problem is that he was a tribalist. No one is one hundred percent (right). Everyone makes mistakes usually. The only wrong thing is that he was refusing to step down. He was sick and he's old," said Keifas Moyo, another Zimbabwean in South Africa.

Mnangagwa poised to swear in as Zimbabwean new president today

Zimbabwe&#39;s incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa was preparing Thursday to take power after the shock resignation of Robert Mugabe brought 37 years of authoritarian rule to an end.

Mnangagwa, who has close ties to the army and the security establishment, returned to the country on Wednesday to take the reins and told adoring crowds in Harare that they were witnessing &quot;unfolding full democracy&quot;.&nbsp;

He will be sworn in as president at an inauguration ceremony on Friday, officials said.

The speech was his first since Mugabe fired him as vice president on November 6 over a succession tussle with the former first lady, a move that prompted the military&#39;s intervention to force Mugabe from power, leading to his resignation on Tuesday.

&quot;Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new and unfolding full democracy in our country,&quot; he said in front of hundreds of supporters, some wearing shirts emblazoned with images of the 75-year-old leader.

&quot;We want to grow our economy, we want jobs... all patriotic Zimbabweans (should) come together, work together,&quot; he said.

He was surrounded by a large security detail and arrived at the headquarters of the ruling ZANU-PF party in a presidential-style motorcade.

Two young men held a stuffed crocodile above their heads, a reference to Mnangagwas&#39;s nickname, earned for his reputation for stealth and ruthlessness.

&#39;All I want is job creation&#39;

He had flown in earlier to Harare&#39;s Manyame airbase from South Africa, and met key ZANU-PF officials before heading to the State House, the nerve centre of Zimbabwe&#39;s political establishment, for a briefing.

&quot;Great speech all round, can&#39;t describe how I felt seeing him after what he went through. All I want is job creation,&quot; said Remigio Mutero, 30, an unemployed IT graduate.

Mugabe&#39;s iron grip ended Tuesday in a shock announcement to parliament, where MPs had convened to impeach the 93-year-old leader who dominated every aspect of Zimbabwean public life for decades.

He had last been seen in public on Friday and had given a televised address on Sunday, but neither he nor his wife Grace have been seen since, with their whereabouts unknown.&nbsp;

On the streets, the news that his long and often brutal leadership was over sparked wild celebrations which lasted late into the night, with crowds dancing and cheering amid a cacophony of car horns.

Excited crowds

A former key Mugabe ally, Mnangagwa had fled the country after his dismissal, saying he would not return without guarantees for his safety.&nbsp;

His sacking was the result of an increasingly bitter succession battle with first lady Grace, who had been pushing to take over from her ageing husband. &nbsp;

But critics describe Mnangagwa as a ruthless hard-liner who was behind years of state-sponsored violence, warning that he could prove just as authoritarian as his mentor.&nbsp;

Rinaldo Depagne of the International Crisis Group said Mugabe&#39;s departure &quot;does not necessarily mean more democracy&quot;.

Mugabe&#39;s resignation capped a chaotic week in which the military seized control and tens of thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets in an unprecedented show of dissent against Mugabe, who left behind an economy in ruins.

&quot;We hope to be able to access our money from the bank come December and the US dollar must come back,&quot; said Talent Chamunorwa, 37, a brick seller.

He was referring to Zimbabwe&#39;s chronic shortage of cash and a mistrusted scheme for &quot;bond notes&quot; whose value is supposed to be linked to the US currency, but which trade at a much lower rate in reality.

State-run newspaper The Herald said Zimbabweans would &quot;never again go back into a box of silence&quot;.

&quot;All future Zimbabwean leaders are going to have to be accustomed to plain speaking, to listening and then explaining what they are doing and why,&quot; it said in a comment piece Wednesday.

Grace was his undoing&nbsp;

Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe almost unopposed since independence, and eventually became the world&#39;s oldest serving head of state.

But efforts to position his 52-year-old wife Grace as his successor were his undoing.

Although Mugabe&#39;s fate remains unknown, the ZANU-PF has said he deserves to be treated with respect after leading the country for nearly four decades.

Last week&#39;s military takeover had all the hallmarks of a coup, but the generals stopped short of forcing Mugabe out, and Mnangagwa thanked army chief General Constantino Chiwenga during his speech on Wednesday.

As the crisis grew, the ZANU-PF, an instrument of Mugabe&#39;s brutal reign, removed him as party leader and began parliamentary proceedings to have him impeached.

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa was preparing Thursday to take power after the shock resignation of Robert Mugabe brought 37 years of authoritarian rule to an end

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa was preparing Thursday to take power after the shock resignation of Robert Mugabe brought 37 years of authoritarian rule to an end. Mnangagwa, who has close ties to the army and the security establishment, returned to the country on Wednesday to take the reins and told adoring crowds in Harare that they were witnessing "unfolding full democracy". He will be sworn in as president at an inauguration ceremony on Friday, officials said. The speech was his first since Mugabe fired him as vice president on November 6 over a succession tussle with the former first lady, a move that prompted the military's intervention to force Mugabe from power, leading to his resignation on Tuesday. "Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new and unfolding full democracy in our country," he said in front of hundreds of supporters, some wearing shirts emblazoned with images of the 75-year-old leader. "We want to grow our economy, we want jobs... all patriotic Zimbabweans (should) come together, work together," he said. He was surrounded by a large security detail and arrived at the headquarters of the ruling ZANU-PF party in a presidential-style motorcade. Two young men held a stuffed crocodile above their heads, a reference to Mnangagwas's nickname, earned for his reputation for stealth and ruthlessness. 'All I want is job creation' He had flown in earlier to Harare's Manyame airbase from South Africa, and met key ZANU-PF officials before heading to the State House, the nerve centre of Zimbabwe's political establishment, for a briefing. "Great speech all round, can't describe how I felt seeing him after what he went through. All I want is job creation," said Remigio Mutero, 30, an unemployed IT graduate. Mugabe's iron grip ended Tuesday in a shock announcement to parliament, where MPs had convened to impeach the 93-year-old leader who dominated every aspect of Zimbabwean public life for decades. He had last been seen in public on Friday and had given a televised address on Sunday, but neither he nor his wife Grace have been seen since, with their whereabouts unknown. On the streets, the news that his long and often brutal leadership was over sparked wild celebrations which lasted late into the night, with crowds dancing and cheering amid a cacophony of car horns. Excited crowds A former key Mugabe ally, Mnangagwa had fled the country after his dismissal, saying he would not return without guarantees for his safety. His sacking was the result of an increasingly bitter succession battle with first lady Grace, who had been pushing to take over from her ageing husband. But critics describe Mnangagwa as a ruthless hard-liner who was behind years of state-sponsored violence, warning that he could prove just as authoritarian as his mentor. Rinaldo Depagne of the International Crisis Group said Mugabe's departure "does not necessarily mean more democracy". Mugabe's resignation capped a chaotic week in which the military seized control and tens of thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets in an unprecedented show of dissent against Mugabe, who left behind an economy in ruins. "We hope to be able to access our money from the bank come December and the US dollar must come back," said Talent Chamunorwa, 37, a brick seller. He was referring to Zimbabwe's chronic shortage of cash and a mistrusted scheme for "bond notes" whose value is supposed to be linked to the US currency, but which trade at a much lower rate in reality. State-run newspaper The Herald said Zimbabweans would "never again go back into a box of silence". "All future Zimbabwean leaders are going to have to be accustomed to plain speaking, to listening and then explaining what they are doing and why," it said in a comment piece Wednesday. Grace was his undoing Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe almost unopposed since independence, and eventually became the world's oldest serving head of state. But efforts to position his 52-year-old wife Grace as his successor were his undoing. Although Mugabe's fate remains unknown, the ZANU-PF has said he deserves to be treated with respect after leading the country for nearly four decades. Last week's military takeover had all the hallmarks of a coup, but the generals stopped short of forcing Mugabe out, and Mnangagwa thanked army chief General Constantino Chiwenga during his speech on Wednesday. As the crisis grew, the ZANU-PF, an instrument of Mugabe's brutal reign, removed him as party leader and began parliamentary proceedings to have him impeached.

Zimbabwe's next leader prepares to take power

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