Zimbabwe President

In a live TV address, Mr Mugabe said he would preside over the ruling party's congress in December.

The Zanu-PF earlier sacked him as party leader, and gave him less than 24 hours to resign as president or be impeached.

His grip on power has weakened since the military intervened on Wednesday, in a row over who should succeed him.

A crisis was triggered after Mr Mugabe sacked his deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, two weeks ago, angering the army who saw it as an attempt to move his wife, Grace, into the position of his successor.

Mr Mnangagwa, 75, had displayed "traits of disloyalty", Information Minister Simon Khaya Moyo said.

His removal makes it more likely that President Robert Mugabe's wife Grace will follow in her husband's footsteps as leader of Zimbabwe.

She had earlier called on her husband to remove his vice-president.

"Mr Mnangagwa's conduct in discharge of his duties is inconsistent with the responsibilities," the information minister said.

"The vice-president has exhibited traits of disloyalty."