Zimbabwean activist Evan Mawarire says that the military intervention is not necessarily the change that many wanted but it opens up a chance to fix some the country's problems.

Mr Mawarire came to prominence last year when he led the #ThisFlag movement to protest against the economic problems in Zimbabwe, and to demand an end to President Robert Mugabe's 36-year rule.

He is currently facing subversion charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Listen to the full interview he gave to BBC Newsday:

Andrew Harding
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, AFP

Zimbabwe remains on edge, waiting to hear the fate of President Robert Mugabe.

This morning, the military said it was continuing to engage with the 93-year-old, and would inform the nation of any breakthrough as soon as possible.

The generals added that they were making significant progress in targeting "criminals" around Mr Mugabe.

There have been suggestions that the president himself is refusing to step down, but other sources are claiming that a complex deal is being worked out, involving a slow transition, elections, and a dignified departure for the man who has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980.

State media, and the ruling Zanu-PF party, have been playing down any sense of instability.

Photos have been published showing Mr Mugabe looking relaxed, and smiling, as he meets delegations.

But the president is not a free man. And Zimbabwe remains trapped in the most extraordinary circumstances.

Read: What next for Zimbabwe?

Image source, Getty Images

Leaders of Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party are expected to meet today to draft a resolution to dismiss President Robert Mugabe if he refuses to step down, the Reuters news agency reports, quoting a senior party source.

The unnamed source told Reuters that the party would impeach Mr Mugabe if he does not leave office:

There is no independent confirmation of the report.

Image source, AFP

Some Zimbabweans have launched an online petition, external asking neighbouring states and other foreign governments not to mediate in the crisis over President Robert Mugabe's future, following the military takeover on Wednesday.

The petition says:

At least 13,000 endorsements have been recorded so far.

Regional body Sadc held a meeting in neighbouring Botswana on Thursday and called for a regional summit to discuss the crisis.

They urged Zimbabwe to "settle the political challenges through peaceful means."

Zimbabwe's former Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose dismissal last week led to the military seizing power, has returned to the country, an unnamed aide has told AFP news agency.

There is no independent confirmation of the report.

Mr Mnangagwa fled Zimbabwe on 8 November, accusing President Mugabe and his wife, Grace, of turning the country into their "private property".

His sacking was seen as an attempt by Mr Mugabe, 93, to pave the way for his wife to succeed him.

Read: The 'crocodile' who snapped back

Image source, Re

A prominent Zimbabwean journalist, Hopewell Chin'ono, says that President Robert Mugabe has reneged on a "deal" that would see him step town.

He says that the veteran leader was now digging in his heels, saying that he should be allowed to remain the leader of the country until the ruling Zanu-PF party conference set for next month.

The military has, however, refused to budge from its demands that he leaves office, he says.

Stanley Kwenda
BBC Africa, Harare

Image source, Reuters

Zimbabwe's military says progress has been made in negotiations with President Robert Mugabe.

In a statement, the army said:

It did not name those who had been targeted for arrest.

The army also promised to constantly keep the country abreast on developments.

"We are currently engaging with the Commander in Chief on the way forward and you will be advise of the outcome as soon as is possible."

Meanwhile, soldiers are still maintaining presence in central Harare and at key government institutions.

Meanwhile, soldiers are still maintaining a presence in central Harare and at key government institutions.

Image source, Zimpapers/Reuters

Welcome to BBC Africa Live for the continuation of our coverage of the military takeover in Zimbabwe.

President Robert Mugabe is reportedly refusing to step down immediately, despite growing calls for his resignation.

The 93-year-old was put under house arrest during a military takeover on Wednesday, amid a power struggle over who would succeed him.

The military said on Friday it was "engaging" with Mr Mugabe.

It also said it had been arresting "criminals" around the president, but gave no names.

Several senior officials are said to have been detained since Wednesday.

"Others are still at large," the military said.

Read the full BBC story here

We're pausing the live coverage of events in Zimbabwe for the evening. Here's where things stand:

• President Robert Mugabe has been holding direct talks with the army over his future

• Photos have been released by state media showing the president smiling during the meeting, also attended by South African envoys, government ministers and a Catholic cleric:

• Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai says Mr Mugabe must resign
• A regional bloc Sadc meeting in Botswana has finished without a solution to the crisis - instead recommending a summit of heads of state.

Our online team will continue updating the main story on our site.

Want to know more? Read:

• Zimbabwe's endgame: Six possible scenarios by the BBC's Lebo Diseko
• Five things you should know about Zimbabwe
• Grace Mugabe and her part in the crisis
• Zimbabwe's 'crocodile' who snapped back - about the man who might be the next president
• And should Robert Mugabe's long tenure in power be nearing its end, BBC Africa online editor Joseph Winter looks at whether the 93-year-old should be considered a revolutionary hero or the man who wrecked Zimbabwe.
• Or watch this video about the president's life:

• And for a podcast of today's news from Zimbabwe, download the Africa Today podcast.

We'll be back tomorrow at 07:30 GMT to continue coverage of the military takeover.

Following mediation efforts by South African envoys to end the political crisis in Zimbabwe, there are rumours that President Robert Mugabe may be opting to go into exile.

A Zimbabwe journalist has tweeted that the details are likely to be revealed in the next 24 hours:

Zimbabwean media mogul Trevor Ncube has been tweeting his insights into the negotiations happening between the Mugabes and the military at State House today.

He suggests that the two sides are close to a deal:

Here are some of the key things you should know about Zimbabwe and its current situation as mediation efforts continue to determine of the future of 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe:

1. The economy is in a mess
2. Mugabe has been controversial for some time
3. The country does have an opposition
4. Any new leader may not be a big change
5. It is still possible for Mugabe to stay in power

For a more detailed look at these points read: Five things you should know

And for a quick summary of what is going on watch this clip:

Image source, Getty Images

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has reiterated his call for the military takeover in Zimbabwe to be handled in a peaceful manner in an interview with BBC World:

It follows comments a spokesperson made on his behalf yesterday that the "preservation of fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and assembly" were of vital importance.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

A former Zanu-PF MP and one time minister in President Robert Mugabe's government says ordinary Zimbabweans are "relaxed" about the military taking control of the country.

Bright Matonga has told Radio 4's World at One that it was "the classiest coup ever"... with the army doing nothing but "follow the constitution as they did not remove anyone, the president is still... in the State House".

He says the army has intervened at this stage because "people were taking advantage, maybe because of the president's age, in trying to isolate him from the war veterans and the army that has always supported him".

Listen to the full interview:

Milton Nkosi
BBC Africa, Johannesburg

The meeting of three regional ministers in Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, has concluded but come up with no immediate solution to the Zimbabwe crisis.

They recommended that an urgent extraordinary summit of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) be held to deal with the situation - that would mean that all heads of state would be there.

South Africa's Minister of International Relations Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said:

She did not say when the summit should be held.

Kerry Allen
BBC Monitoring

Chinese media have played down any suggestion that the current situation in Zimbabwe will affect Chinese companies and investors in the country.

State-affiliated outlets including The Paper have stressed that there was no coup in the country, but a "peaceful transfer of power".

Hu Xijin, the veteran editor of foreign affairs paper Global Times, says in a video message that whatever the outcome it will not be a blow to the current set-up.

Nevertheless, many official newspapers today are sharing a People's Daily infographic that lists the emergency contact numbers for embassies that Chinese people can contact while overseas.

While it says it is posting the message to give people general security awareness, it notes specifically that there are "tensions in Zimbabwe".

Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper has just published photos of President Robert Mugabe's meeting with army chief Gen Constantino Chiwenga, Catholic cleric Father Fidelis Mukonori and South African envoys, external at State House:

Image source, The Herald

The paper's editor-in-chief also tweeted some of the photos of Mr Mugabe standing by Gen Chiwenga:

Amid the uncertainty in Zimbabwe, residents in the capital, Harare, tell the BBC what they make of the army takeover and what should happen to 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe, who had ruled the country since independence in 1980:

"Business-like, competent and friendly - but of course someone with a pretty fearsome reputation," is how one of the UK's former ambassadors to Zimbabwe describes Emmerson Mnangagwa, the sacked vice-president who has a close relationship with the top military leaders behind the takeover.

Mark Canning tells the BBC that the man tipped as a possible successor to President Robert Mugabe seems determined in his political ambitions:

Mr Canning says the army is keen to convince people that what is happening is not a coup, and will therefore seek a "soft transition, and presumably to form a government that can get a broad buy-in from the outside world".

But he said the international community shouldn't prejudge Mr Mnangagwa, who is nicknamed "the crocodile" because his political cunning:

Listen to the full interview with BBC Focus on Africa's Akwasi Sarpong:

Read more: Zimbabwe's 'crocodile' who snapped back

Image source, EPA

President Robert Mugabe has refused to immediately resign during talks with the military, the AFP news agency quotes a source close to the generals as saying.

The source, who requested anonymity, is quoted as saying:

Meanwhile, the Twitter account Zim Media Review, external says journalists in neighbouring Botswana are waiting for a press conference after a meeting of foreign ministers from southern Africa's regional body, Sadc, about the crisis in Zimbabwe.