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7 year oldZanu-PF has instead appointed ex-Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who had been fired by Mr Mugabe two weeks ago.
The sacking of Mr Mnangagwa had prompted an extraordinary chain of events as the military intervened to block Mr Mugabe, 93, from installing his wife, Grace, in his place.
The first lady has been expelled from the party altogether.
Mr Mugabe is set to meet military leaders on Sunday and a motorcade has been seen leaving his private residence.
Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans attended street protests on Saturday, demonstrating against the Mugabes.
BBC correspondent Andrew Harding, who is at the Zanu-PF meeting, said cheering erupted as the decision was announced.
One senior official later told him: "It's the dawn of a new era. Mugabe can go farming."
The move has yet to be formalised, but it increases further the pressure on Mr Mugabe that has been building over the past few days, and there are now moves to impeach him as president if he does not resign.
The recent events:
The head of the influential War Veterans Association, Chris Mutsvangwa, threatened to "bring back the crowds and they will do their business" if Mr Mugabe did not step down.
Mr Mugabe has been president of Zimbabwe for 37 years.
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