Zimbabwe awaits arrival of Mugabe's likely successor Mnangagwa

The morning after ecstatic celebrations over the resignation of the long ruling President Robert Mugabe, the people of Zimbabwe awaited on Wednesday the arrival of his former vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, expected to become the interim leader.

Mnangagwa, who fled to South Africa two weeks ago after he was sacked by Mugabe to pave the way for his wife Grace to succeed him, is due to arrive back later in the day, said the ruling Zanu-PF party.

His dismissal led both the party and the military to intervene last week and force an end to Mugabe's 37-year- long rule. Mnangagwa is expected to be sworn in by Thursday, CNN reported citing party officials.

Many in Zimbabwe and in the international community are hoping that it will be a transitional arrangement. The country's next general elections are scheduled for 2018.

There was jubilation in Zimbabwe as the country awoke to the first day in almost four decades without the man who ruled the country with an iron fist.

Even as the sense of euphoria in Zimbabwe lingers, the question looming over everyone is whether Mnangagwa will be an improvement over Mugabe's nearly four decades of misrule that impoverished the once affluent country.

Opposition politicians embraced the development but added that the country still needed to embrace democracy.

"We are very excited that we have gotten rid of Mugabe, but we have gotten rid of one man, we have not gotten rid of the system that was oppressive for 37 years," said Douglas Mwonzora, Secretary-General of the Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's main opposition party.

"Therefore we have to work towards conditions for free and fair elections. The Zimbabwean people still have to choose a President by themselves."

He pointed to elections next year, which will enable his party to "have a big say in who is the next substantive president of the Republic of Zimbabwe".

Harare had largely returned to normal Wednesday morning. Commuters and students filed in to offices, businesses and schools and the streets outside of Parliament -- scenes of jubilation just hours earlier -- were once again calm.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai told the BBC he hoped that Zimbabwe was on a "new trajectory" that would include free and fair elections.

He said Mugabe should be allowed to "go and rest for his last days".

Prominent opposition politician David Coltart tweeted: "We have removed a tyrant but not yet a tyranny."

African Union President Alpha Conde said he was "truly delighted" by the news, but expressed regret at the way Mugabe's rule ended.

--IANS

soni/bg