Zimbabwe's opposition leader and former prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, said on Thursday that President Robert Mugabe must resign.

"To me it was never personal (political relationship with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe). That's why we had to go in GNU (Government of National Unity formed in 2009, when Tsangvirai was made Prime Minister in coalition organized by Mugabe) together. And we spent five years together. It has never been a personal issue," Morgan Tsvangirai, former Zimbabwean Prime Minister, said as quoted in a report by Associated Press. 

According to the Associated Press report, Tsvangirai, who shared power with Mugabe between 2009 and 2013 before losing disputed elections, said that his political battles with Mugabe were "never personal."

"We spent five years together. It's never been a personal issue," he said.

Soldiers remained on the streets of capital Harare as Mugabe was seen for the first time since the political crisis there began.

The situation in Zimbabwe is still uncertain after Wednesday’s surprise move by the army to place President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace, under house arrest, triggering speculation of a military coup.

This comes after the Zimbabwean military seized power and took control of the state-controlled TV station in what the army called a targeted operation against “criminals” in the entourage of Mugabe, who has ruled the southern African nation for almost four decades.

Reuters reported that it was not clear whether the apparent military coup would bring a formal end to the 93-year-old Mugabe’s rule.

However, the main goal of the generals appeared to be preventing Mugabe’s wife Grace, 41 years his junior, from succeeding him.

Reuters stated that local media reported South Africa’s defense and state security ministers, dispatched by South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma as regional envoys, arrived in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, on Wednesday night and were expected to meet both Mugabe and the military on Thursday. Their ultimate goal was not clear.

Zuma earlier called for “calm and restraint” and asked the defense forces “to ensure that peace and stability are not undermined in Zimbabwe,” South Africa’s neighbor, which has lurched from crisis to crisis over the past two decades.

On Wednesday night however, a military spokesman called on Harare residents to stay indoors and off the streets. This while army tanks and personnel patrolled the capital.

The South African presidency meanwhile said Mugabe had told Zuma over the phone that he was confined to his home but was otherwise fine. The military also said they were keeping Mugabe and his family safe.