HARARE, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The influential Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) said Monday it would invite Zimbabweans back into the streets for more protests until President Robert Mugabe steps down.
The association spoke after Mugabe failed to announce his resignation as widely expected in a televised address to the nation Sunday night.
ZNLWVA chairperson Christopher Mutsvangwa told a press conference that Mugabe should stop pretending that things were normal in the country after the military "stepped in" to weed out "criminals" surrounding him, whom it accused of committing crimes that threatened national security.
"If Mugabe refuses to step down, we are going back to the people and calling on them to come back onto the streets. Last time about 1.5 million people participated in the streets and this time we want even more support. We will stage a sit in until Mugabe is gone. We will not leave Harare until he is gone," Mutsvangwa said.
Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets of Harare Saturday to call on Mugabe to resign.
Mugabe was recalled from the ruling ZANU-PF party as its leader and given until noon Monday to step down or face impeachment.
But in his national address Sunday night, Mugabe said he would chair the party's extraordinary congress next month to address challenges afflicting the party.
Meanwhile, Mutsvangwa said the war veterans association had instituted court action to legalize the military action against Mugabe after the army seized power from him last Wednesday.
