Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party sacked President Robert Mugabe as party leader and appointed vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa in his place.
Mnangagwa was fired by Mugabe two weeks, a move which led to a military takeover the army is calling a “bloodless correction” instead of a coup.
Zanu-PF held a special, emergency meeting in Harare on Sunday following almost a week of negotiating with Mugabe who is refusing to step down as the country’s president.
The vote, taken by hundreds of senior Zanu-PF officials significantly weakens Mugabe’s position.
BBC correspondent Andrew Harding, at the Zanu-PF meeting, tweeted a video of people dancing after the decision to remove Mugabe was taken.
Zimbabwe’s parliament will reconvene on Tuesday after a week-long suspension. It is expected that they will begin impeachment proceedings if Mugabe still has not backed down.
Grace Mugabe aka Gucci Grace, the divisive first lady and chair of Zanu-PF’s woman’s league, was also expelled from the party.
Zimbabwe’s Standard newspaper reported that Zanu-PF also fired Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhuwao, Ignatius Chombo.
Thousands of Zimbabweans had taken to the streets on Saturday in an unprecedented public display of anti-Mugabe sentiment, including the destruction of road signs bearing Mugabe’s name. Such acts are unthinkable under normal circumstances.
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