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| Zimbabwe: Mugabe to meet with army chief on his future | Zimbabwe: Mugabe to meet with army chief on his future |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is to meet army chiefs amid intense pressure for him to step down. | |
| Mediation will be led by a Catholic priest, state TV said. Mr Mugabe has largely been confined to his house since the army took over on Wednesday. | Mediation will be led by a Catholic priest, state TV said. Mr Mugabe has largely been confined to his house since the army took over on Wednesday. |
| The governing Zanu-PF party is also meeting to discuss whether to dismiss their founder and long-term leader. | The governing Zanu-PF party is also meeting to discuss whether to dismiss their founder and long-term leader. |
| The army intervened after Mr Mugabe, 93, fired his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa. | The army intervened after Mr Mugabe, 93, fired his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa. |
| Mr Mnangagwa's dismissal made Mr Mugabe's wife Grace front runner to become next president. He is likely to be reinstated as vice-president when Zanu-PF convene. | Mr Mnangagwa's dismissal made Mr Mugabe's wife Grace front runner to become next president. He is likely to be reinstated as vice-president when Zanu-PF convene. |
| Mr Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980. | Mr Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980. |
| Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets on Saturday to celebrate the army's takeover and to urge Mr Mugabe to quit. | Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets on Saturday to celebrate the army's takeover and to urge Mr Mugabe to quit. |
| They tore pictures of Mr Mugabe and marched to his office and residence. | They tore pictures of Mr Mugabe and marched to his office and residence. |
| The military says it will advise the public on the outcome of talks "as soon as possible". | The military says it will advise the public on the outcome of talks "as soon as possible". |
| Nine of 10 Zanu-PF party chapters say Mr Mugabe should step down and their decision is likely to be endorsed at Sunday's meeting of the party's top body, the central committee. | Nine of 10 Zanu-PF party chapters say Mr Mugabe should step down and their decision is likely to be endorsed at Sunday's meeting of the party's top body, the central committee. |
| The BBC's Andrew Harding in Harare says this is a watershed moment and there can be no return to power for Mr Mugabe. | The BBC's Andrew Harding in Harare says this is a watershed moment and there can be no return to power for Mr Mugabe. |
| Our correspondent says the situation appears to be getting out of Zanu-PF's control and there could be a broad push to introduce a transitional government that includes the opposition. | Our correspondent says the situation appears to be getting out of Zanu-PF's control and there could be a broad push to introduce a transitional government that includes the opposition. |
| Negotiating Mugabe's exit | Negotiating Mugabe's exit |
| Analysis by Anne Soy, BBC News, Harare | Analysis by Anne Soy, BBC News, Harare |
| It is understood that President Mugabe has so far insisted that he cannot step down and so legitimise a coup. | It is understood that President Mugabe has so far insisted that he cannot step down and so legitimise a coup. |
| The military maintains this is not a coup and there is international pressure to use constitutional means to resolve the political crisis. Negotiators are poring through Zimbabwe's laws to find a legal way out. | The military maintains this is not a coup and there is international pressure to use constitutional means to resolve the political crisis. Negotiators are poring through Zimbabwe's laws to find a legal way out. |
| Saturday's call for civilians to take to the streets looks choreographed to lend some legitimacy to the transition process being discussed. | Saturday's call for civilians to take to the streets looks choreographed to lend some legitimacy to the transition process being discussed. |
| President Mugabe's support base has continued to crumble. Independence war veterans, who fought alongside him against colonial rule, have also called on their former leader to leave. | President Mugabe's support base has continued to crumble. Independence war veterans, who fought alongside him against colonial rule, have also called on their former leader to leave. |
| But the biggest blow yet to Mr Mugabe could be delivered by the central committee of his ruling Zanu-PF on Sunday. Their meeting could see Robert Mugabe dismissed as party leader. | But the biggest blow yet to Mr Mugabe could be delivered by the central committee of his ruling Zanu-PF on Sunday. Their meeting could see Robert Mugabe dismissed as party leader. |
| Read more from Anne | Read more from Anne |
| How did we get here? | How did we get here? |
| Soldiers seized the headquarters of Zimbabwe's national broadcaster ZBC on Wednesday. | Soldiers seized the headquarters of Zimbabwe's national broadcaster ZBC on Wednesday. |
| An army official, Maj Gen Sibusiso Moyo, then read out a statement on national television, assuring the nation that President Mugabe and his family were safe. | An army official, Maj Gen Sibusiso Moyo, then read out a statement on national television, assuring the nation that President Mugabe and his family were safe. |
| The military was only targeting what he called "criminals" around the president, he said, denying that there had been a coup. | The military was only targeting what he called "criminals" around the president, he said, denying that there had been a coup. |
| On Friday, Mr Mugabe made his first public appearance since being put under house arrest, speaking at a university. | On Friday, Mr Mugabe made his first public appearance since being put under house arrest, speaking at a university. |
| Grace Mugabe was not present. It had been thought she had left the country but it emerged on Thursday that she was at home with Mr Mugabe. | Grace Mugabe was not present. It had been thought she had left the country but it emerged on Thursday that she was at home with Mr Mugabe. |