The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes elections should be held as soon as possible to democratically elect a new Zimbabwean president‚ because the ruling Zanu-PF cannot be trusted.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said this in a statement on Tuesday. He added that Zanu-PF has been complicit in the 37 year rule of President Robert Mugabe.

“History has taught us that failed liberation movements cannot and will not self-correct. The solution has to come from outside these movements‚” Maimane said.

“Zanu PF has become nothing more than a patronage network engulfed in fighting over access to power and state resources for those who are politically connected.”

The Zimbabwean parliament convened on Tuesday in Harare to impeach Mugabe and were just about to vote on the issue when justice minister Happyton Bonyongwe handed Mugabe’s resignation letter to Speaker Jacob Mudenda which he read out aloud.

“My decision to resign is voluntary on my part … My desire is to ensure a peaceful non-violent transition‚” Mugabe said in his resignation.

Maimane said: “The story of Robert Mugabe is not a unique one‚ and is all too familiar on our continent. A once liberator of his people‚ Mugabe brought division‚ instability‚ and economic ruin to Zimbabwe as he made the unfortunate transition from liberator to dictator.”

Maimane called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to take the lead in ensuring an installing an interim government and that elections are held as soon as possible.