In a statement, MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said that the MDC rejected claims that the Morgan Tsvangirai led party was working with a Zanu-PF faction to oust President Robert Mugabe.

"…Any insinuation to the effect that the MDC has taken sides with any of the various factions within the crumbling Mugabe regime is totally misplaced and without any factual support. To be more specific, it is not the intention of the MDC to enter into a coalition government with any of the Zanu PF factions solely for the purpose of enhancing and strengthening the factional agenda of a particular grouping within Zanu-PF," said Gutu.

Gutu maintained that the MDC was not going to choose or propel any of the Zanu-PF factions to power.

He said that the first step towards realisation of democracy in the southern African country was getting rid of President Mugabe.

"The MDC would like to make it abundantly clear that it is none of our business to participate in the internal factional fights within the Mugabe regime. We are not and we will never be part and parcel of the various factional fissures within the collapsing Mugabe regime," said Gutu.

Mugabe has defied calls to resign immediately.

In an address to the nation on Sunday, it was widely believed that Mugabe – who has been held under house arrest by the military in Harare since last week – would resign.

But the 93-year-old announced during his speech, which was televised on state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), that he was still in power.

"The (ruling Zanu-PF) party congress is due in a few weeks and I will preside over its processes," Mugabe said, plunging the nation into further uncertainty.

The ruling party is discussing impeachment.

News24