A GWENT woman has said she is ecstatic over the resignation of Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe and she is now hopeful for the future of the country.

Martha Musonza-Holman, of Abergavenny, is the president of the Love Zimbabwe charity - which aims to reach a wider audience of people, including celebrities, who have an allegiance, affection or concern for Zimbabwe.

The charity president said she has "not stopped" for the past 24 hours because of her "excitement and happiness" over Mugabe's official resignation on Tuesday afternoon.

After hearing about the 93-year-old's resignation after his 37 years in power, Mrs Musonza-Holman said: "I was in such shock when I heard. I couldn't quite believe it and thought it was a joke at first.

"All of a sudden I had my phone going off with notifications saying he was gone and I had to sit down and calm down.

"When I woke up this morning I thought it was all a dream."

Stepping in to take Mugabe's place before elections next year will be incoming leader Emmerson Mnangagwa - Mugabe's long time deputy who previously fled the country earlier this year after being fired.

Mrs Musonza-Holman said he has been in touch with her relatives who still live in Zimbabwe and said they are hopeful for change in the country.

"I have been on the phone to my family and they told me they were going to the airport to see the arrival of Mnangawa. That has never happened before so that must mean some change," she said.

The president of Love Zimbabwe also said although she is not fond on Mnangawa, he is only an interim president and she believes he will still be better than Mugabe.

"It has to be better," she said.

"We have to hang on and wait to hear Mnangawa's speech before we thing anything else right now."