Tsvangirai tells Mugabe to step down

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai has told President Robert Mugabe to step down and pave way for fresh elections amid a worsening economic crisis in the southern African nation.

Zimbabwe is currently facing a critical cash shortage, massive unemployment and food insecurity, as it also battles to clear a foreign debt overhang of over $8bn.

Tsvangirai told his party supporters on Saturday at a rain-soaked rally in Harare that Mugabe should relinquish power "immediately", saying the veteran leader was a stumbling block to the country's economic turnaround.

"You (Mugabe) have failed so you must step down immediately to pave way for new blood. You must feel for the traumatised people of this country," said the main opposition leader amid applause from thousands of his supporters.

For his part, Mugabe recently told some veterans of the country's liberation war that he was not going anywhere.

Mugabe, who won the disputed 2013 polls to end a unity government he formed with Tsvangirai in 2009 following another contested plebiscite, has vowed to stay in power, saying he has an electoral mandate to govern Zimbabwe.

"If the people say continue (to lead) I will continue. If our party (Zanu-PF) says continue, I will continue," said Mugabe.