Zimabwe's ruling party ZANU has sacked President Robert Mugabe as leader and appointed former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa in his place.
This is after eight
of the party's 10 regional branches called for Mugabe to go.
Mugabe’s hold on power was broken last week when the military took over after his wife Grace emerged as the leading candidate to succeed the 93-year-old president, who is the world’s oldest head of state.
His efforts
to cling to power appeared close to collapse on Saturday night as tens of thousands marched through Zimbabwe’s cities calling for his resignation, while the ruling party prepared to dismiss him.
In a statement the Zanu-PF Youth League condemned Mugabe's allies for "looting and plundering" and his wife Grace for "vulgar, cunning and unruly behaviour", and called on him to stand down and to "rest as an elder statesman".
Grace has also been expelled from the party.
Southern African leaders will hold a summit in Angola over the crisis in Zimbabwe.
