The man who has declared himself the new leader of Zimbabwes divided main opposition party says he is confident that the party will bounce back, BBC Online reports Monday.
Gibson Sibanda admits last years split in the Movement for Democratic Change weakened the party. But he told the BBC that all MDC supporters will back him after they know the facts. He says he has the support of 25 of the partys 41 MPs.
Correspondents say President Robert Mugabe has benefited from the split.
Founding MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai – who insists that he remains party leader – says the split was the work of government agents. Mr Sibanda accused Mr Tsvangirai of repeatedly going against party decisions.
The National Council voted to take part in last years senate elections despite Mr Tsvangirais arguments that it would be a waste of time because the polls would be rigged.
Tsvangirai says the split was engineered by government agents. He then went ahead and announced a boycott , which was ignored by some MDC members, especially in the western Matabeleland region, home to Mr Sibanda.
Mr Sibanda was Mr Tsvangirais deputy at the MDC for five years and also for several years before that at the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, which set up an opposition party to counter what is said was Mr Mugabes disastrous economic policies, BBC adds.
