Post-Mugabe era begins

Botswana's President Ian Khama has told the BBC that he doesn't have any sympathy for Robert Mugabe, who resigned yesterday as Zimbabwe's leader.

Botwana, like other nations in southern Africa, hosts thousands of Zimbabweans who have fled their home for jobs and a better life.

President Khama did not mince his words:

Quote Message: I hope he was watching the television screens and seeing how people were rejoicing at his departure.

I hope he was watching the television screens and seeing how people were rejoicing at his departure.

Quote Message: You would say to yourself: 'Is this the legacy I had planned to leave?'

You would say to yourself: 'Is this the legacy I had planned to leave?'

Quote Message: If he cared nothing for his own people then why should I care for him? I don't wish him ill either.

If he cared nothing for his own people then why should I care for him? I don't wish him ill either.

Quote Message: I say let's leave him alone and just let him try and enjoy the rest of his life."

I say let's leave him alone and just let him try and enjoy the rest of his life."

Former President Robert Mugabe has rejected an offer of exile from Zambia, according to the privately owned Zambia reports website.

The news site reports Zambia's President Edgar Lungu as saying:

Quote Message: I had talked to him [and said] that if the chips are down you can come here but he refused saying that his home was Zimbabwe and he will remain there."

I had talked to him [and said] that if the chips are down you can come here but he refused saying that his home was Zimbabwe and he will remain there."

Zambia Reports adds that President Lungu warned that Zimbabwe's military, whose intervention eventually led to Mr Mugabe's resignation, should now "return to their barracks":

Quote Message: Now the people of Zimbabwe should follow their constitution since President Mugabe has resigned. It is time for the soldiers to return to the barracks."

Now the people of Zimbabwe should follow their constitution since President Mugabe has resigned. It is time for the soldiers to return to the barracks."

EPACopyright: EPA

Zimbabwe’s President-to-be Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has finished his speech, revealed that he had been in constant contact with the military since their takeover last week.

He also pointed to the reason for their intervention, saying that orders were being given to the government from people outside the executive – a veiled reference to Grace Mugabe, the former first lady.

A Zimbabwean journalist who lives in exile in South Africa says Mr Mnangagwa's performance was promising:

Emmerson Mnangagwa, who thanked the crowd for waiting for him for so long, has said “the will of the people will always succeed”.

Quote Message: The voice of the people is the voice of God.

The voice of the people is the voice of God.

Quote Message: Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new unfolding democracy in our country."

Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new unfolding democracy in our country."

Zimbabwe's president-to-be has also thanked the speaker of parliament, the army and other officials who have helped him over the last week.

Robert Mugabe's successor then went on to address the state of the economy, saying all Zimbabweans needed to come together:

Quote Message: We want peace, we want jobs, jobs, jobs in our country."

We want peace, we want jobs, jobs, jobs in our country."

This was greeted by a huge roar the crowd.

He went on to say Zimbabwe needed the corporation of Africa – to grow the economy.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe's president-to-be, said he had to flee as he was going to be "eliminated" by Robert Mugabe's government:

Quote Message: The people of Zimbabwe, you who are gathered here to receive me, may I say in the name of our Lord I thank you considerably.

The people of Zimbabwe, you who are gathered here to receive me, may I say in the name of our Lord I thank you considerably.

Quote Message: Exactly 16 days ago I received a letter firing me from government of the republic of Zimbabwe as vice-president within two hours I was informed about plans to eliminate me.

Exactly 16 days ago I received a letter firing me from government of the republic of Zimbabwe as vice-president within two hours I was informed about plans to eliminate me.

He then went on to refer to a previous attempt to eliminate him:

Quote Message: Realising that on the 12 August this year I was subjected to poisoning that resulted in my being airlifted to South Africa.

Realising that on the 12 August this year I was subjected to poisoning that resulted in my being airlifted to South Africa.

Quote Message: I survived that poisoning. This time around I said to myself, 'I should not wait for them to eliminate me - let me go out and let me go out and with you the people of Zimbabwe, make your voice heard.'"

I survived that poisoning. This time around I said to myself, 'I should not wait for them to eliminate me - let me go out and let me go out and with you the people of Zimbabwe, make your voice heard.'"

Zimbabwe's president-to-be is now being introduced to the cheering crowd at Zanu-PF party headquarters.

The BBC's Stanley Kwenda in the capital, Harare, says they have been chanting the song of the moment Kutonga Kwaro – meaning to “rule properly” – as they wait.

The speaker says it's a historic moment and he's thanked them for their patience - some have been waiting for hours to greet Emmerson Mnangagwa, known by his nickname "the crocodile".

This is a screengrab of the speaker, you can see Mr Mnangagwa to his right with his fist raised:

BBCCopyright: BBC

GETTY IMAGESCopyright: GETTY IMAGES

South African politician Mbhazima Shilowa has tweeted a wry comment about the way Zimbabweans name their children - often to reflect the mood or circumstance of the family at the time of birth.

Here's his list of names that might turn up on birth certificates soon.

A South African journalist has replied with his own suggestion - "Crocodile", or its Shona equivalent "Ngwena" - a reference to the nickname of Zimbabwe's President-to-be Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Read more: Africa's naming traditions

A CNN journalist has tweeted a video of the cavalcade of Zimbabwe's president-to-be in the capital, Harare:

Emmerson Mnangagwa, who will be sworn as president on Friday following Robert Mugabe's resignation, has landed back in Harare and is due to address his supporters soon.

People in Zimbabwe's capital Harare are pinning prayers and messages of hope to trees in the city's parks.

One reads:

Quote Message: I pray for the restoration of the economy, love, peace, unity and everlasting happiness to every citizen of Zimbabwe - [regardless] of colour or origin."

I pray for the restoration of the economy, love, peace, unity and everlasting happiness to every citizen of Zimbabwe - [regardless] of colour or origin."

Another person's wish reads:

Quote Message: I'm praying for freedom. [We want] a one- or two-term president, not a life president."

I'm praying for freedom. [We want] a one- or two-term president, not a life president."

AFPCopyright: AFP

Today's editorial in Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper, entitled "Dawn of a new era", warns President-to-be Emmerson Mnangagwa that Zimbabweans now have high expectations.

It says the events of the last week - including a mass demonstration against Robert Mugabe on Saturday and the celebrations over his subsequent resignation yesterday - mean "some things have changed, forever".

Quote Message: The overwhelming majority of the marchers on Saturday and those in the impromptu celebrations last night were the younger generations, young men and women in their twenties and thirties who had been born and had grown up in a free Zimbabwe.

The overwhelming majority of the marchers on Saturday and those in the impromptu celebrations last night were the younger generations, young men and women in their twenties and thirties who had been born and had grown up in a free Zimbabwe.

Quote Message: They will never again go back into a box of silence and 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."

They will never again go back into a box of silence and 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."

More than 70% of Zimbabweans are under 35, according to the last census.

Another thing Zimbabwe's new leaders need to acknowledge is the remarkable unity on show over the last few days, the editorial says.

Quote Message: They need to recognise another huge sea-change. The symbols in the marches, the rallies and the street parties were not names of people or pictures on walls. There was just one symbol – the flag... they did not care how their neighbour voted in the last election or how they might vote next year; they did not care about race or class. They were just happy to be together as Zimbabweans. And that is perhaps the greatest triumph of the past 37 years."

They need to recognise another huge sea-change. The symbols in the marches, the rallies and the street parties were not names of people or pictures on walls. There was just one symbol – the flag... they did not care how their neighbour voted in the last election or how they might vote next year; they did not care about race or class. They were just happy to be together as Zimbabweans. And that is perhaps the greatest triumph of the past 37 years."

The Herald also notes that that Mr Mnangagwa won't be able to hang on to power like Mr Mugabe as the new constitution, introduced a few years ago, has a two-term limit for presidents.

Quote Message: The next 37 years will see a minimum of four presidents, and that assumes that everyone will win two terms and want to serve both of them."

The next 37 years will see a minimum of four presidents, and that assumes that everyone will win two terms and want to serve both of them."

South Africa's Eyewitness News has shared this video showing huge crowds of people gathering outside Zanu-PF's party headquarters in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.

They are waiting to hear President-to-be Emmerson Mnangagwa address the nation for first time since Robert Mugabe's resignation yesterday.

More pictures are coming in of Zanu-PF supporters in the capital, Harare, with a toy crocodile, a reference to the nickname given to Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe's president-to-be.

EPACopyright: EPA

EPACopyright: EPA

During the struggle for independence, Mr Mnangagwa let a group of fighters known as the "crocodile gang".

His nickname also reflects his political shrewdness - and his Zanu-PF faction is known as "Lacoste".

Some Zimbabweans are removing their ex-president's portrait from positions of prominence in public buildings.

Images and videos of people binning portraits of Robert Mugabe, who resigned yesterday, are being widely shared on social media, as Zimbabweans enjoy a symbolic act of defiance they could have scarcely have imagined doing a week ago.

A Twitter account that monitors the media in Zimbabwe has posted a photo of Emmerson Mnangagwa's arrival at an airbase in the capital, Harare:

A marching band, which included some giant sousaphones, was pictured earlier at the base as people waited for Zimbabwe's incoming president:

EPACopyright: EPA

The stage at Zanu-PF's headquarters in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, is being readied for President-to-be Emmerson Mnangagwa to speak.

Proceedings should start in about 30 minutes - and supporters are assembling outside.

AFPCopyright: AFP

Meet the Zimbabweans who say that former First Lady Grace Mugabe seized their land.

One woman, Helen, told BBC correspondent Andrew Harding:

Quote Message: They demolished my house. They said: 'You must go away because this place has been taken by the First Lady'. I nearly killed myself because this was my last hope."

They demolished my house. They said: 'You must go away because this place has been taken by the First Lady'. I nearly killed myself because this was my last hope."

When asked what he would say to Grace Mugabe if she appeared, a man named Innocent said:

Quote Message: I would tear her to pieces. Because she has destroyed my life for the past 16 years."

I would tear her to pieces. Because she has destroyed my life for the past 16 years."

AFPCopyright: AFP

What can get Zimbabwe's finances off life-support and into recovery mode?

Matthew Davies, editor of the BBC's Africa Business Report programme, says the country urgently needs these five measures:

• Cash injection
• Dump damaging policies and stamp out corruption
• Negotiate with foreign lenders
• Create the conditions to reduce unemployment and entice the diaspora to return
• Create its own currency

Read the analysis in full

The people who had gathered at the Manyame airbase waiting to welcome back Emmerson Mnangagwa – Zimbabwe’s president-to-be – have been taken to the ruling Zanu-PF party’s headquarters in the capital, Harare.

The BBC's Sophie Ribstein in the city says it looks like officials want them to be there when Mr Mnangagwa gives an address after his arrival back from South Africa, where he fled after he was sacked two weeks ago.

According to the state broadcaster, he may arrive at 16:00 GMT.

Someone in the crowds at the Zanu-PF HQ is actually holding a toy crocodile, in reference to Mr Mnangagwa's nickname:

AFPCopyright: AFP