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The Latest: Zimbabwe's Mugabe meets again with army leader

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The Latest on Zimbabwe’s political turmoil (all times local):
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) – The Latest on Zimbabwe’s political turmoil (all times local):
4:40 p.m.
Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald newspaper has tweeted photos of longtime President Robert Mugabe meeting for a second time with the army commander who put him under house arrest days ago.
Mugabe is said to be seeking more time as talks continue on his departure after nearly four decades in power. But the ruling party is impatient to see him leave, saying Mugabe must resign as president by noon Monday or face impeachment proceedings.
The military has been trying to give the departure a veneer of legality to avoid accusations of a coup.
The Herald report gives no details on the meeting’s outcome.
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3:50 p.m.
Zimbabwe’s ruling party Central Committee has expelled several high-level members close to unpopular first lady Grace Mugabe, while President Robert Mugabe is told to resign as the country’s leader by noon Monday or face impeachment.
Those expelled include minister of higher education Jonathan Moyo, finance minister Ignatious Chombo, Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao, local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, foreign affairs minister Walter Mzembi and several other top members of the ZANU-PF party who were associated with the first lady.
Some 200 delegates clapped and cheered the announcement and sent up an especially loud roar on hearing the action against Grace Mugabe.
They also chanted of the president: “He must go!”
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3:25 p.m.
Zimbabwe’s ruling party Central Committee says recently fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa should be its nominee to take over as the country’s president.
The party has fired longtime President Robert Mugabe as its party chief and said if he doesn’t step down as president by midday Monday they will begin impeachment proceedings when Parliament resumes Tuesday.
The decisions follow a dramatic few days in which the military put Mugabe under house arrest, angered by his firing of Mnangagwa and positioning of the unpopular first lady to replace him – and likely succeed her husband as leader.
The party accuses Grace Mugabe of “preaching hate, divisiveness and assuming roles and powers not delegated to the office.” She is removed as head of the women’s league.
The party’s decisions Sunday will be formalized at a special congress next month.
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3:15 p.m.
Zimbabwe’s ruling party Central Committee says longtime President Robert Mugabe must resign as president by noon Monday or impeachment proceedings will start.
The ZANU-PF party has fired Mugabe as party chief, expelled his wife and named the recently dismissed Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the party chief.
Parliament resumes Tuesday and impeachment proceedings would begin then.
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2:45 p.m.
A Zimbabwe ruling party official confirms that the Central Committee has fired President Robert Mugabe as party leader and replaced him with the recently dismissed Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The emergency meeting also has recalled first lady Grace Mugabe as head of the women’s league “forever.” The meeting continues.
Mugabe on Sunday is meeting with the army commander who put him under house arrest in a second round of negotiations on his departure as president after nearly four decades.
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2:05 p.m.
Zimbabwe’s ruling party Central Committee has begun recalling President Robert Mugabe as party leader and replacing him with recently fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The emergency meeting is also recalling first lady Grace Mugabe as head of the women’s league “forever.” The motion is yet to be formalized but will be complete shortly.
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1:20 p.m.
A Zimbabwean ruling party Central Committee member says there could be prosecutions of members of a party faction close to the wife of President Robert Mugabe.
Emmanuel Fundira also says he thinks it is a “fait accompli” that recently fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be reinstated and chosen to lead Zimbabwe after Mugabe’s expected resignation.
The Central Committee has opened an emergency meeting to recall Mugabe as party leader.
Fundira says “corrupt and rotten” leaders in the ruling party should be punished.
“There are some resources which have been taken away from this country,” Fundira says. “Naturally, the laws will follow up and make sure that all those people are brought to book.”
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12:40 p.m.
Zimbabwe’s ruling party Central Committee members have stood and cheered as the official chairing the emergency meeting announces plans to remove longtime President Robert Mugabe from his leadership post.
Obert Mpofu says they are meeting with “a heavy heart” because Mugabe had served the country and contributed “many memorable achievements.”
But Mpofu says in his opening remarks that Mugabe’s wife “and close associates have taken advantage of his frail condition” to loot national resources. The party is meeting to discuss demands to recall Mugabe as party leader and reinstate recently fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The 93-year-old Mugabe is meeting Sunday with the army commander who put him under house arrest days ago in a second round of talks on his departure after nearly four decades in power.
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12 p.m.
Zimbabwe’s ruling party Central Committee has begun meeting on demands to recall President Robert Mugabe as party leader.
The ZANU-PF emergency meeting is also discussing the call to reinstate former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose firing by Mugabe earlier this month led the military to step in and put the president under house arrest.
The ruling party also will consider recalling unpopular first lady Grace Mugabe as head of the women’s league. She had been poised to replace Mnangagwa as vice president at a party congress next month and even succeed her husband.
Mugabe was set to meet Sunday with the army commander in a second round of negotiations on his exit from power after nearly four decades.
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11:50 a.m.
An influential figure in Zimbabwe’s ruling party says he is concerned about possible violence if President Robert Mugabe does not resign immediately.
Chris Mutsvangwa, head of the liberation war veterans, says he is concerned that the military could end up opening fire to protect Mugabe from protesters. He says there will be more demonstrations like the massive one Saturday if Mugabe’s negotiations with the military on his departure from power don’t end soon.
He hopes Mugabe “gives into the fact that he has got to tender his resignation and leave.” Mugabe was set to meet Sunday with the army commander who put him under house arrest in a second round of talks.
“We would expect that Mugabe would not have the prospect of the military shooting at people, trying to defend him,” Mutsvangwa says. “The choice is his.”
The ruling party is meeting on demands to recall Mugabe as party leader, while lawmakers to impeach him when Parliament resumes Tuesday.
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10:35 a.m.
The youth league of Zimbabwe’s ruling party says President Robert Mugabe should resign and take a rest as an “elder statesman,” while his wife, Grace, should be expelled from the party “forever.

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