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Crowds cheer incoming Zimbabwe leader

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November 23, 2017
Supporters of Emmerson Mnangagwa, the man expected to become Zimbabwe's new president and known as 'The Crocodile', hold a stuffed crocodile and pictures of him as they cheer at Manyame Air Force base in Harare, Zimbabwe on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP):

Zimbabwe's incoming leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, emerged from hiding yesterday, in neighbouring South Africa, to return home to take power after Robert Mugabe's stunning resignation.

Several hundred people gathered in anticipation of his arrival.

The 75-year-old Mnangagwa fled Zimbabwe after Mugabe fired him earlier this month, leading the military to move in and kick off a series of extraordinary events ending in Mugabe stepping down on Tuesday.

Mnangagwa met with South African president, Jacob Zuma, in a jovial courtesy call before taking a private jet from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.

He will be sworn in as Zimbabwe's new president tomorrow, the speaker of parliament said.

It is not clear what the 93-year-old Mugabe and his wife will do next.