Zimbabwe’s veteran ruler and one of Africa’s longest serving presidents currently in office, Robert Mugabe, has for the first time gone public about leaving office.

Speaking to thousands of people during the commemorations of The Day of The African child that were held in the country’s Capital- Harare, the veteran ruler publicly said that he is on his way out.

His pronouncement has instantly ignited succession debate within the ruling ZANU-PF party, which is already divided in two rival factions. One faction is being led by the president’s wife, Grace Mugabe. The other is being led by the country’s Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Although Mugabe can run for another term which will constitutionally end in 2023, he however said that plans for him to quit politics were ongoing and that he would like his successor to do a better job.

Until Saturday, President Mugabe has never talked publicly about leaving office. Having ruled Zimbabwe for 36 years, he is the only president the country has known since attaining independence from the British in 1983. He has employed all manners of tactics to remain in office, from committing electoral fraud to using violence against his political rivals.

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