<<Print>>

Robert Mugabe appeared to fall asleep as he stepped out in public for the first time since a military takeover as it emerged that he will be fired by Zimbabwe's ruling party on Sunday if he refuses to stand down.

Pictures show the 93-year-old, clad in academic gown and hat, with his eyes closed and his head bowed at a university graduation ceremony on the outskirts of the capital Harare.

With his presidential security team present, he had earlier walked slowly in a procession on a red carpet to a podium as a marching band played in front of thousands of graduates of the Zimbabwe Open University. Once on the podium, Mr Mugabe joined the crowd in singing Zimbabwe's national anthem and he was applauded as he announced the opening of the ceremony.