Zimbabwe’s ruling party replaces Mugabe as leader

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Zimbabwe's ruling party, ZANU-PF, dismissed President Robert Mugabe as its leader at a special central committee meeting held in the country's capital Harare on Sunday, Reuters reported, citing sources from the party.

Emmerson Mnangagwa, the vice president Mugabe sacked on November 6, will be the new leader.

"Mnangagwa is our new leader," Reuters quoted delegates from the special meeting as saying.

Delegates attend a meeting of the ruling ZANU-PF's central committee in Harare, Zimbabwe, November 19, 2017. /CGTN Photo

The meeting came a day after tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in the capital, celebrating the military's takeover of the government and demanding the resignation of the 93-year-old politician who has led the southern African country for almost four decades.

Mugabe is still technically the president of the country; however, war veterans' leader Chris Mutsvangwa said ZANU-PF is starting the removal process.

Mugabe's wife, Grace Mugabe, has also been expelled from the party, according to Reuters.

The president has to step down by noon (1000 GMT) on Monday or he will face impeachment, Zimbabwe's cyber security minister Patrick Chinamasa said during a news conference after the closed-door meeting.

Party official briefing the media /CGTN Photo

The dismissal of Grace Mugabe was due to her promotion of hate speech and divisiveness, according to Chinamasa. She and "a number of others" will be prosecuted, he added.

Mnangagwa will be nominated as the party's candidate for new president of Zimbabwe.

Chinamasa further added that the ruling party is considering amending the constitution to remove the "notion of one center of power."

Mugabe had been under pressure to step down since a military takeover occurred last Wednesday, and his 52-year-old wife Grace emerged as the leading candidate to succeed him.

Delegates attend a meeting of the ruling ZANU-PF's central committee in Harare, Zimbabwe, November 19, 2017. /CGTN Photo

The two sides – the military and Mugabe – met for the first time on Thursday, with Mugabe refusing to resign after a tense process of negotiating his departure. Veterans of Zimbabwe's liberation war – also former key Mugabe allies – added their voice in support of him resigning, demanding that he give in to army pressure and leave office on Sunday.

The ZANU-PF youth league, a group loyal to Mugabe, has also turned against him, calling on Sunday for the president to leave office and his wife to be thrown out of the party.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will discuss Zimbabwe's political crisis on Tuesday at a summit in the Angolan capital Luanda, South Africa said on Sunday. All 10 regional branches of ZANU-PF party have called for him to go.

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