Zimbabwe’s new president arrives today

Zimbabwe’s incoming leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has just departed from an airport in neighboring South Africa to make his return to his country.

An Associated Press witness saw him depart, shortly after Mnangagwa met with South African President Jacob Zuma.

Mnangagwa is set to arrive at a military air base in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, and will be sworn in Friday morning at a local stadium.

South Africa’s presidential office has just tweeted photos of Mnangagwa and Zuma shaking hands and smiling.

The Zimbabwe ruling party’s chief whip says new leader Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in Friday at 10:30 a.m. at the 60,000-seat National Sports Stadium on the outskirts of the capital, Harare.

Lovemore Matuke tells the state-run broadcaster that until then Mnangagwa will not be speaking to the media.

Singing and cheering crowds are gathering at a military air base in Harare for Mnangagwa’s arrival. He fled the country shortly after his firing earlier this month by Robert Mugabe, who resigned Tuesday amid impeachment proceedings.

Mnangagwa is expected to go to ruling party headquarters for a briefing upon his arrival. He will be just the second president in Zimbabwe’s history. Mugabe ruled for 37 years.

Signs in the welcoming crowd read “Welcome back, our hero” and “True to your word, you’re back. Welcome.”

A man in the crowd, Godwin Nyarugwa, says he is “very ecstatic” and that “we need change in this country, change in everything.”

The speaker of Zimbabwe’s Parliament says the ruling party has notified him that Emmerson Mnangagwa is nominated to replace Robert Mugabe as president and that he will be sworn in on Friday.

Mnangagwa is expected to arrive at a military air base in the capital, Harare, shortly. Crowds are gathering.

Mugabe resigned Tuesday amid impeachment proceedings.

Zimbabwe’s state-run broadcaster says incoming leader Emmerson Mnangagwa will arrive today and be sworn in Friday.

The report posted online says it has it “on good authority” that Mnangagwa will arrive at 6 p.m. today at a military air base in the capital, Harare.

Mnangagwa has been out of sight since he fled the country shortly after his firing by Robert Mugabe early this month. Mugabe resigned Tuesday amid impeachment proceedings.

AP