A breakaway faction of Zimbabwes main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has chosen an ex-student leader as its president.
Arthur Mutambara was elected unopposed at a meeting of 3.000 of the factions supporters in the city of Bulawayo, BBC Online reports Saturday.
Mr Mutambara led student protests against state corruption in the 1980s. He returned to Zimbabwe recently after being in South Africa for 15 years.
The MDC split has weakened opposition to President Mugabe. The MDC, led since it was formed in 1999 by Morgan Tsvangirai, divided into two hostile camps last year when differences emerged over whether to contest senate elections.
The breakaway faction, known as the pro-Senate group, has accused Mr Tsvangirai of arrogance and failing to accept his party’s decisions.
In front of several thousand delegates, Mr Mutambara promised to take the opposition forward in its efforts to oust Robert Mugabe, who turned 82 this week.
Mr Mutambara is a member of the majority Shona ethnic group – seen by many analysts as essential for any party leader. Mr. Tsvangirais MDC faction will hold its own party leadership congress in mid-March.
