Harare, Nov 15 (AFP) Armoured vehicles were seen on thestreets near the Zimbabwean capital Harare as questionsmounted today over whether President Robert Mugabe, who hasruled since independence from Britain in 1980, still has afirm grip on power.
Tensions between the 93-year-old leader and the militarythat has been a key buttress to his reign have intensified,and prolonged gunfire erupted near his private residence inthe suburb of Borrowdale in the early hours, a witness toldAFP.
No further details were available.
Mugabe's ZANU-PF party accused army chief GeneralConstantino Chiwenga on Tuesday of "treasonable conduct". Thepublic dispute has presented a major test for Mugabe, who isin increasingly frail health.
Chiwenga had demanded that Mugabe stop purges of seniorparty figures, including vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa,who was dismissed last week.
ZANU-PF said Chiwenga's stance was "clearly calculated todisturb national peace... and suggests treasonable conduct onhis part as this was meant to incite insurrection".
Before being ousted, Mnangagwa had clashed repeatedlywith Mugabe's wife Grace, 52, who is seen as vying withMnangagwa to be the next president.
As the situation deteriorated overnight, the US embassyin Harare warned its citizens in the country to "shelter inplace" due to "ongoing political uncertainty".
The armoured vehicles spotted outside Harare alarmed manyresidents as Chiwenga had warned of possible militaryintervention. The army's spokesman was not available tocomment.
"I saw a long convoy of military vehicles," a femalefruit seller told AFP, while other witnesses took to socialmedia to confirm the reports.
Mugabe is the world's oldest head of state, but his poorhealth has fuelled a bitter succession battle as potentialreplacements jockey for position.
Some of the army top brass are seen as strongly opposedto Grace Mugabe's apparent emergence as the likely nextpresident.
"We very rarely see tanks on the roads," Derek Matyszak,an analyst at the Pretoria-based Institute for SecurityStudies, told AFP.
"Chiwenga threw down the gauntlet to Mugabe... it wouldmake sense for Chiwenga to organise some military manoeuvresto up the ante.
"It's clear we are entering new territory here."In speeches this year, Mugabe has often slurred hiswords, mumbled and paused for long periods.
His lengthy rule has been marked by brutal repression ofdissent, mass emigration, vote-rigging and economic collapsesince land reforms in 2000.
The main opposition MDC party called for civilian rule tobe protected.
"No one wants to see a coup... If the army takes overthat will be undesirable. It will bring democracy to a halt,"shadow defence minister Gift Chimanikire, told AFP.
ZANU-PF's influential youth league, which supports GraceMugabe as the next president, said in a statement that armychief Chiwenga must not be allowed to choose Zimbabwe'sleaders.
Speculation has been rife in Harare that Mugabe couldseek to remove Chiwenga, who is seen as an ally of oustedMnangagwa.
The crisis marks an "ominous moment in the ongoing raceto succeed" Mugabe, said political analyst Alex Magaisa in anonline article.
"(Mugabe) has previously warned the military to stay awayfrom ZANU-PF's succession race.
"His authority over the military has never been tested inthis way."Mnangagwa, 75, was widely viewed as Mugabe's most loyallieutenant, having worked alongside him for decades.
He fled the country and is thought to be in South Africaafter issuing a searing five-page condemnation of Grace'sambition and Mugabe's leadership.
Earlier this year the country was gripped by a bizarrespat between Grace and Mnangagwa that included an allegedice-cream poisoning incident that laid bare the pair'srivalry.
Mnangagwa took over as vice president from Joice Mujuruwho was axed in 2014 after Grace Mugabe launched a campaignaccusing her of plotting to topple the president.
Grace Mugabe -- 41 years younger than her husband -- hasbecome increasingly active in public life in what many say isa process to help her eventually take the top job. (AFP)AJR.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.