Protesters are gathering in Zimbabwe\u2019s capital Harare to demand the resignation of President Robert Mugabe.<\/p>\n
The rally is supported by the military which staged a takeover on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Regional branches of the ruling Zanu-PF party as well as war veterans \u2013 who until now were loyal to the president \u2013 are also saying Mr Mugabe should quit.<\/p>\n
Mr Mugabe, 93, had been under house arrest for days, but on Friday he made his first public appearance at a graduation ceremony in the capital.<\/p>\n
The military made its move after a power struggle over his successor.<\/p>\n
Mr Mugabe sacked Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week, apparently to pave the way for his wife Grace Mugabe \u2013 who is four decades younger than him \u2013 to take over the presidency instead.<\/p>\n
The military said it was \u201cengaging\u201d with Mr Mugabe and would advise the public on the outcome of talks \u201cas soon as possible\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since it gained independence from Britain in 1980.<\/p>\n
Who will be protesting in Harare?<\/h2>\n
Christopher Mutsvangwa \u2013 the leader of the influential war veterans\u2019 association \u2013 earlier this week called for a huge turnout at the rally.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to restore our pride and tomorrow is the day\u2026 we can finish the job which the army started.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no going back about Mugabe. He must leave,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, at least eight out of 10 regional branches of the Zanu-PF party voted on Friday for Mr Mugabe to resign as president and party secretary.<\/p>\n
In an unprecedented broadcast, several regional leaders appeared on state TV saying that he should step down.<\/p>\n
They also called for Grace Mugabe to resign from the party, and for Mr Mnangagwa to be reinstated in the party\u2019s central committee.<\/p>\n
The party\u2019s members agreed to mobilise support for and attend Saturday\u2019s rally. The party is planning to hold a special central committee session over the weekend to discuss the crisis.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) said in a statement on Friday it had been approached by organisers of the rally, which it described as a \u201csolidarity march\u201d.<\/p>\n
The statement went on: \u201cZDF is therefore advising the nation that for as long as the planned march remains orderly, peaceful\u2026 and without hate speech and incitement to cause violence, it fully supports the march.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liberal groups opposed to the president have also backed the protest.<\/p>\n
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