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Mugabe defies demands to quit as President of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe defied expectations he would resign on Sunday ,November 19, pledging to preside over a ZANU-PF congress next month even though the ruling party had removed him as its leader hours earlier.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe defied expectations he would resign on Sunday ,November 19, pledging to preside over a ZANU-PF congress next month even though the ruling party had removed him as its leader hours earlier.

ZANU-PF had given the 93-year-old less than 24 hours to quit as head of state or face impeachment, an attempt to secure a peaceful end to his tenure after a de facto coup.

Mugabe said in an address on state television that he acknowledged criticism against him from ZANU-PF, the military and the public, but did not comment on the possibility of standing down.

In a restaurant in Harare, opinions on the speech broadly expressed disappointment that Mugabe had not stepped down immediately.