Zimbabwe’s ruling party has sacked Robert Mugabe as its leader, as pressure intensifies for him to step down as president.
Zanu-PF has also given Mr Mugabe, 93, until 10:00 GMT on Monday to resign as president, or face impeachment.
He is due to address the nation shortly, after he met military leaders who have called on him to step down.
The military intervened last week, in an apparent attempt to block him from installing his wife as his successor.
The first lady, Grace Mugabe, and several other senior officials have been expelled from the party altogether.
Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans attended street protests on Saturday, demonstrating against the Mugabes.
No details of the talks between Mr Mugabe and the military leaders have been released. However, photos posted by the state-run Herald newspaper show the two sides – who also met several days ago – shaking hands.
Mr Mugabe was said to be seeking more time to negotiate his exit after nearly four decades in power.
State-run Zimbabwe TV said he would “address the nation live” from his official residence shortly.
A number of sources close to the talks said Mr Mugabe is poised to resign, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Cheering erupted when the decision to dismiss Mr Mugabe as party leader was announced in Harare on Sunday.
One senior official later told the BBC’s Andrew Harding: “It’s the dawn of a new era. Mugabe can go farming.”
Zanu-PF appointed ex-Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was fired by Mr Mugabe two weeks ago, in his place.
The party’s central committee also warned that impeachment proceedings would begin if Mr Mugabe did not step down as president by noon local time on Monday.
Impeaching the president would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Zimbabwe’s parliament, which is due to resume on Tuesday.
The opposition MDC-T party has tried unsuccessfully to impeach Mr Mugabe in the past, but this time the ruling party – which has an overwhelming majority in both houses – is likely to go against him.
Source:BBC/beachfmonline.com/Takoradi-Ghana.
