Robert Mugabe has vowed to stay in power as President of Zimbabwe for several weeks, despite mounting calls for him to quit immediately.
In a live TV address, Mr Mugabe said he would preside over the governing party’s congress in December.
Zanu-PF earlier sacked him as party leader, and gave him less than 24 hours to resign as president or be impeached.
His grip on power has weakened since the military intervened on Wednesday, in a row over who should succeed him.
The crisis began when the 93-year-old president sacked his deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, two weeks ago, angering army commanders who saw it as an attempt to position his wife as his successor.
Crowds had gathered in Harare to watch the speech, with Mr Mugabe widely expected to resign.
Instead though, flanked by military generals, he said “the (ruling Zanu-PF) party congress is due in a few weeks and I will preside over its processes”.
President Mugabe acknowledged criticism from Zanu-PF, the military and public, and stressed the need to return Zimbabwe to normality.
“Whatever the pros and cons of how they (the army) went about their operation, I, as commander-in-chief, do acknowledge their concerns,” he said, in reference to the army’s move last week to take over the state broadcaster.
The BBC’s Africa Editor, Fergal Keane, said his understanding of the situation was that Mr Mugabe had agreed to resign, but then changed his mind.
A air and ego a prop him up. Him is a corpse that will be unceremoniously removed from power by Thursday.
The former chicken seller, is being held in prison facilities and moved every 2 days. It would be funny if the 2 tailor-made jackets get kudnap from S. Africa and made to live in poverty, in Zimbabwe.
Man’s ego. In power since dem discover the earth round fi true…let go already.
Mugabe .. go a school wid Alexander the Great …and go a Napoleon 10th Birthday .. gi sumadi else a chance man
:ngakak :ngakak :ngakak
Fam, de Africans dem say dem leaders have a “Sit tight” mentality and don’t know when to leave. While dem remember how Mugabee served a cause…is DisGrace head dem want fi see roll back to her fowl coup 😀
Mi say de man can’t even keep him eyes open fe 5 minutes to rawtid! Most a de time when yu see him at any social event, him a sleep!
he fears the judicial repercussions for himself and his family if and when he loses that executive privilege and immunity, the abuse of powers, curruption etc., as is the case with every other past and present dictators imaginable, just wait for the months or year(s) ahead when it comes around to the dictator that we are currently stuck with on this side of the ocean, eh “Dat Mi Seh?” :travel