zbc have been trailing for the last few hours that he is making an address to the nation and there have been reports that he is going to resign. writers have been saying he has agreed to submit his resignation as president. —— reuters. but we're still waiting to see whether that happens. this afternoon, he has been negotiating with generals here in zimbabwe. he has been discussing, as he has done ever since that military ta keover he has done ever since that military takeover on wednesday, with them, whether he should cling to office. he has been trying to cling to office. and here we are now, with pictures from zbc, a momentous event now for the whole of zimbabwe, will he resign as president after 37 yea rs 7 he resign as president after 37 years? or will he not? we are about to hear from years? or will he not? we are about to hearfrom robert mugabe himself at last. an extraordinary moment for this country, the whole country waiting and watching to see what happens. he has already been deposed by his own party. will he go as president? can now c an now from robert mugabe. —— let us c a

zbc have been trailing for the last few hours that he is making an address to the nation and there havethat he is going to resign. writers have been saying he has

mugabe is due to address the nation live on national television on some bubbly‘s national television, zbc

there's been no announcement on zbc. there's been no announcement from the military. they heard what sounded like explosions, they haven't been able to confirm that independently. there is little information about what else is happening with the state broadcaster. we've seen anti personnel carriers moving around the streets in several suburbs and the bbc has also heard recordings of heavy gunfire and artillery in northern suburbs where government officials, including the president, live. what's your assessment of what you think is likely to unfold in the coming hours? this quite unprecedented thing is happening?m is quite unprecedented and we are waiting to see what happens, what will come out of this. there's likely to be more clarity in the morning but at the moment there's a lot of rumours, there's been a lot of fa ke lot of rumours, there's been a lot of fake news over the last 12 hours. the government has given no information at all about the things that are happening. we are waiting to hear it in the morning what exactly has happened overnight. 0k, thank you ver

mugabe is due to address the nation live on national television on some bubbly‘s national television, zbcthey have already said that the nation should appear on stage and for a live address from present mugabe. pressure on him to resign has been building since the military takeover last wednesday. and today, somatic developments when his own party, the ruling party, zanu—pf, decided to sack him as the leader of the party and also sack his wife, grace mugabe, from her position in zanu—pf. he has been meeting generals today and they have been trying to persuade him since that military takeover that he should resign with dignity, that he has no options left. zanu—pf gave him an ultimatum today that if he had not resigned by mid—day tomorrow local time and they should start impeachment proceedings against him in the zimbabwean parliament. he is running out of friends, running out of allies, running out of options, and running out of time. and according to reuters tonight he has agreed to step down, perhaps bowing to the inevitable. but get this report on the day's events so far. senior milita

power, zimbabwe has reported that soldiers indeed in the country have taken over the state broadcaster, zbcrces after the general of the army warned that he was prepared to intervene after robert mugabe fired a number of his officials in his cabinet last week, many thinking he is paving the way for his wife, grace, to take charge. we'll keep you more information on that. the loud explosions have been reported in central harare in zimbabwe. you have been watching newsday. stay with us, coming up — in the pink. as all eyes are on australia and that yes vote on same sex marriage, we'll be looking at the pink dollar and the purchasing power of gay australians. hi there. many of us, wednesday is going to dawn on a pretty grey and cloudy day. competing with the story is really for wednesday. we have a big ridge of high pressure keeping the weather quite across much of the uk however a small area of low pressure has just trickled underneath the high and bought us a lot of cloud across england, thick enough to bring us some outbreaks of patchy rain and drizzle particularly across eastern england fi

from robert mugabe, which has been trailed for the last couple of hours on zimbabwe on national tv, zbc for an address from state house, the official residence of the president. so the whole country is waiting for that and all of harare, where i am tonight, waiting with baited breath tonight, waiting with baited breath to see if he will actually finally resign. it was an extraordinary day here in zimbabwe when his ruling party, zanu—pf, dismissed him as party, zanu—pf, dismissed him as party leader. let us listen in now, and we have that address. and in the event that resignation will not have been tendered by midday, 20th of november 2017, the zanu—pf chief whip was ordered to institute proceedings for the removable —— the removal of the president, in terms of section 97 of the constitution of zimbabwe, amendment number20. i the constitution of zimbabwe, amendment number 20. i would the constitution of zimbabwe, amendment number20. iwould remind you that another eight names... so, thatis you that another eight names... so, that is not yet the address that we we re that is not yet the a

and there was an expectation when he made his speech this morning on television, on zbc, that he wouldtil the party congress next month. so at least for ep weeks. let's bring in oui’ least for ep weeks. let's bring in our southern africa correspondent in harare. you listened to that extraordinary speech, rather rambling at times from robert mugabe. we use surprised he has decided not to resign and he is staying put, this is classic, stubborn robert mugabe? staying put, this is classic, stubborn robert mugabe ?m staying put, this is classic, stubborn robert mugabe? it was baffling. everybody expected one thing and yet it is the choreography 110w thing and yet it is the choreography now we're looking at. why did he not go then? his sense of himself, his dignity, is clearly fundamental to all of this. this is a 93—year—old who could have gone longer know —— long ago and organised a succession, how does he dig himself out of this hole? we know that zanu—pf, the party, has already abandoned him coming he knows that. though the night, perhaps it was about giving the general is the all clear.

this statement by the military in the national tv headquarters, zbc, have said it's not a coup they'reging, it's not a military takeover. there's a statement which says, "we wish to assure the nation that the president and his family are safe and sound, and their security is guaranteed." they went on to say that the situation would return to normal once, as they put it, "criminals around the president brought tojustice." who had caused social and economic suffering had been brought tojustice." and just a bit of context, if people are not that familiar with what is going on there, the country has been run as a very tight ship, hasn't it? this is unprecedented, isn't it? yes, mr mugabe's been charge since 1980, when the country became independent in a war. since then, he's completely dominated the country. i was based in zimbabwe for a while. i can't remember anything like this since independence. it's absolutely unprecedented. what mr mugabe's done has dominated political life so much that there's been no breathing space for anybody to rival him, or to pose any sort of major competition

but it's clear that they've captured the broadcasting corporation, the zbc.s having been arrested. so, the military are clearly in control. why? | military are clearly in control. why? i think it is the result of months, years, of economic degradation and quite frankly foolish economic policies, but what has brought this to a head, of course, has brought this to a head, of course , was has brought this to a head, of course, was the removal from power of the vice president ten days ago. and his dismissal from zanu pf. and the clear intention stated by zanu pf and robert mugabe to promote his wife, and i think the final straw was the fear of people that the mugabes dynasty was in the process of being formed. let me bring in alex magaisa, who used to work for the opposition leader — how do you assess what is going on, give us the context? as my colleagues have indicated, there has been a succession race in zimbabwe, the race to succeed president mugabe, who as you know is now 93. the two me protagonists have been the first lady, mugabes's wife, and the former vi

soldiers seized the headquarters of the state broadcaster zbc, so that a general could read out a statement has moved to another level. firstly, we wish to assure the nation that his excellency the president of the republic of zimbabwe and commander—in—chief of the zimbabwe defence forces, comrade robert mugabe, and his family, are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed. we are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice. as soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy. this was president robert mugabe last week, very frail, seriously ill, renaming the country's main airport for himself. hoping perhaps to cement still further a cult of personality and try to make the succession of his wife, grace, at his side, more certain. key military leaders now seem unwilling to let that happen, robert mugabe is under house arrest, in office but certainly not in power. grace, a0 years hisjunior, has helped split the entire ruling par

troops entered the headquarters of the national broadcaster zbc, and major general sibusiso moyo readtement on national television. zimbabweans were told that while there hadn't been a coup, the army was in now charge. we wish to assure the nation that his excellency the president of the republic of zimbabwe and commander—in—chief of his mobile defence forces, can read robert mugabe and his family are safe and sound and that security is guaranteed. —— comrade robert mugabe. i asked the bbc‘s anne soy, who's in zimbabwe, to clarify the point — that that although the military denying calling it a coup, that's exactly what it looks like. absolutely, and there could be some explanations about that. one, they may not want to alienate mr mugabe's supporters, both in the country, civilians, as well as those in the military. apart from that, zimbabwe isa military. apart from that, zimbabwe is a key member of the african union, and in the past that has expeued union, and in the past that has expelled or suspended countries where coups expelled or suspended countries where coups were expelled o

but they‘ve taken over the state broadcaster, zbc, and insisted that they‘re not attempting to overthrowtion, i have taken the decision to send an envoy, to be able to conduct the leaders of the defence force who have undertaken these operations, but also to meet with president mugabe so that we have a more clear picture of what is happening in zimbabwe. i will also be sending an envoy to the president of angola, to become, as the chairperson of the committee on peace and security, so there is action between us and the zimbabweans. iam hopeful that there is action between us and the zimbabweans. i am hopeful that the defence force will not move and do more damage, that they will be able... so that this situation does not go beyond the situation there it is now, particularly because we‘re now in contact with them as well as the president. we‘re hoping the situation is going to be controlled, so situation is going to be controlled, so that peace and stability comes back to zimbabwe. the south african president, jacob zuma, who spoke to robert mugabe by telephone earlier today. on the line