Mugabe removed as head of party

Central Committee meeting decides to give key post to former vice-president

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party on Sunday removed President Robert Mugabe from his position as party leader, saying he must resign as president by noon on Monday or impeachment proceedings will start.

The ruling party, at a special meeting of its central committee, also nullified the expulsion of former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa and restored him as member of the central committee.

The party's congress next month will ratify the appointment of Mnangagwa as president and first secretary of ZANU-PF.

Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko was dismissed from the post of vice-president and second secretary of the party.

Mphoko, First Lady Grace Mugabe, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Ignatius Chombo, Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Patrick Zhuwao were expelled from the party.

Mugabe was due to meet Zimbabwe Defense Forces chief Constantine Chiwenga on Sunday, state broadcaster ZBC reported. This will be the second meeting between Mugabe and Chiwenga since the military took over government last week.

Zimbabwean officials have not revealed details of the talks, but the military appears to favor a voluntary resignation by Mugabe.

The negotiations come ahead of a key ZANU-PF congress next month, as well as scheduled elections next year.

The talks do not appear to include the South African government delegation that took part in the first round. South Africa's president on Saturday said talks are in "early days". Southern African leaders will hold a four-country summit in Angola on Tuesday to discuss the Zimbabwe situation.

Mnangagwa's sacking two weeks ago as vice-president led the nation's military to step in.

Mnangagwa is expected to lead a new government after his formal election as ruling party chief next month.

Without the military's intervention last week, first lady Grace Mugabe likely would have replaced him as vice-president and been in a position to succeed her husband.

The party meeting agreed that "Mugabe resign forthwith from his position as president of Zimbabwe" by midday on Monday or face impeachment proceedings.

Innocent Gonese, parliamentary chief whip of the main opposition MDC-T party said it had been in discussions with the ruling ZANU-PF party to act jointly on a possible impeachment of the president.

On Saturday, most of Harare's population of 1.6 million poured into the streets in an anti-Mugabe demonstration.

They clambered onto tanks moving slowly through the crowds, took selfies with soldiers and surged in the thousands toward the State House building where Mugabe held official functions.

Xinhua - AP - AFP