ZIMBABWE:Zimbabwe's main opposition party is in disarray just months ahead of a general election after a bitter war of words broke out between two rival factions.
Relations between Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, leaders of two factions in the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), have hit an all-time low with accusations of intimidation and incompetence.
Zimbabwean state media yesterday reported with relish Mr Mutambara's latest verbal attack on Mr Tsvangirai, who was badly beaten by Zimbabwean police earlier this year and remains the most powerful figure in the MDC.
Mr Mutambara said he respected his fellow leader's bravery, "however, bravery alone is not enough. Guts alone are not enough."
The MDC is seeking to oust Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe in parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for next March. But analysts believe that the split will help secure an easy victory for Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF and could also unhinge fledgling peace talks between the two parties which are being overseen by regional governments.
South African president Thabo Mbeki, who has been charged by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) with mediating on Zimbabwe, had indicated that a precondition for such talks was a united opposition.
Mr Mutambara, who earlier this month described Mr Tsvangirai as "an intellectual midget" and "a weak and indecisive leader", launched his latest attack in an interview with the BBC.
He said Zimbabwe needed a new leader who had "a vision" and "an economic strategy".
"He must have a value system that is different from the status quo value system. Otherwise we are going through a false revolution. Otherwise we are heading towards a Chiluba situation in Zambia," he said, in reference to Zambian president Frederick Chiluba who was elected in 1991 and subsequently accused of corruption.
A former student leader who spent several years working overseas, Mr Mutambara returned to Zimbabwe in February 2006 to take over the MDC faction formerly headed by Welshman Ncube.
Mr Tsvangirai has retaliated against Mr Mutambara's latest outbursts by securing a number of high-profile defections from his camp. Members of Mr Tsvangirai's faction have also moved to secure regional support. The faction's international affairs secretary, Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, said it planned to discuss the latest developments in Zimbabwe with SADC leaders meeting in Zambia next week.
He noted that the SADC initiative had produced "very little progress" to date, adding the MDC would be calling for renewed mediation efforts.
Meanwhile, a women's rights group in Zimbabwe complained yesterday that 16 of its members had been jailed without charge for playing netball.
Jenni Williams, co-ordinator of Women of Zimbabwe Arise, who has been arrested nearly 30 times by police in recent years, said she believed the state had "a grudge against us" because "we are determined and stubborn".