Zimbabweans Celebrate In The Streets After Mugabe Resignation

Jesselyn Cook

Zimbabwe’s capital city of Harare erupted in exuberant celebration on Tuesday as Robert Mugabe, the country’s 93-year-old authoritarian president, resigned after nearly four decades in office.

Mugabe came to power when white-minority rule ended in 1980, and has said he intended to reign for life. Throughout his lengthy tenure, he’s been accused of systematically violating human rights and violently cracking down on dissent as Zimbabwe spiraled deeper into poverty.

Thousands of elated civilians danced and sang in the streets as news broke that Mugabe was officially stepping down. Many say his political departure, triggered by a military takeover last week, marks a new chapter in the country’s history.

“This is a good day for Zimbabwe. This is a new era for our nation,” one man told BBC News. “It is not a secret that everyone in Zimbabwe has been waiting for this moment,” another woman said. “It’s a fresh start for Zimbabwe.”

Zimbabweans celebrate in the capital city of Harare after President Robert Mugabe resigned on Nov. 21. (Photo: Mike Hutchings/Reuters)
Zimbabweans celebrate in the capital city of Harare after President Robert Mugabe resigned on Nov. 21. (Photo: Mike Hutchings/Reuters)

The ruling ZANU-PF party will soon install Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mugabe’s former deputy, as the new president. But Mnangagwa, a former national security minister who is strongly backed by the military, has been complicit in some of the government’s most egregious abuses of power.

“It’s a change in leadership of individuals, but the authoritarian system remains intact,” cautioned Dewa Mavhinga, the Southern Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The military has been implicated in some of the most serious human rights abuses in Zimbabwe’s past” for which there has been no accountability, he told HuffPost on Tuesday.

But for the time being, Zimbabwe’s political shakeup brings hope to a population that has been opressed for decades under Mugabe’s leadership.

Take a look at some of the celebrations following his resignation on Tuesday:

People celebrate in the streets of Harare after the resignation of Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe on Nov. 21.
People celebrate in the streets of Harare after the resignation of Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe on Nov. 21.
Car horns blared and cheering crowds raced through the streets Harare as news spread that Mugabe had resigned after 37 years in power.
Car horns blared and cheering crowds raced through the streets Harare as news spread that Mugabe had resigned after 37 years in power.
The bombshell announcement sparked scenes of wild celebration in the streets.
The bombshell announcement sparked scenes of wild celebration in the streets.
Harare residents celebrate in front of the parliament.
Harare residents celebrate in front of the parliament.
Men celebrate Mugabe's resignation.
Men celebrate Mugabe's resignation.
Zimbabweans shout slogans and dance on top of a car.
Zimbabweans shout slogans and dance on top of a car.
Zimbabwe's members of parliament celebrate.
Zimbabwe's members of parliament celebrate.
Mugabe was swept from power as his 37-year reign of brutality and autocratic control crumbled within days of a military takeover.
Mugabe was swept from power as his 37-year reign of brutality and autocratic control crumbled within days of a military takeover.
Zimbabweans celebrate.
Zimbabweans celebrate.
People remove Mugabe's portrait from the wall at the International Conference center.
People remove Mugabe's portrait from the wall at the International Conference center.
People celebrate in the streets of Harare.
People celebrate in the streets of Harare.
Zimbabweans shouts as they gather at Unity square opposite to the parliament.
Zimbabweans shouts as they gather at Unity square opposite to the parliament.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.