辛巴威等待新總統

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 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.辛巴威長期擔任總統的穆加貝辭職後，最快可能星期三就會有一位新總統。

執政的非洲民族聯盟-愛國陣線的高層官員說，前副總統姆南加古瓦可能星期三或星期四宣誓就任總統。姆南加古瓦被穆加貝解除職務後11月6號突然逃出國。據信他星期三回國。

辛巴威議會議長宣讀了穆加貝星期二提交的辭職信。訊息傳出，首都哈拉雷街頭汽車笛聲陣陣，人們歡呼雀躍。

議員們啟動彈劾程式後不久，議長穆登達宣讀了穆加貝的辭職信。

這封信的部分內容說：“我，羅伯特·穆加貝，依據辛巴威憲法第96條，正式提請辭職，立即生效。”

穆加貝本人或總統辦公室沒有證實這封信，但也沒有否認。

辛巴威1980年從英國獨立以來，穆加貝就一直統治著辛巴威。他今年93歲。