A spokesman for the Save Zimbabwe Campaign said Wednesday that the coalition of organizations opposing the government of President Robert Mugabe regrets the exit from its ranks of the opposition faction led by Arthur Mutambara, but said that the organization will continue its efforts to "liberate" Zimbabweans without him.
Mutambara announced Saturday that his Movement for Democratic Change faction was withdrawing from the Save Zimbabwe Campaign, accusing the coalition of civic, church and political groups of favoring his rival, MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mutambara said his faction would run its own presidential candidate in March 2008.
Spokesman Pius Wakatama of the Christian Alliance, which launched and coordinates the Save Zimbabwe Campaign, told reporter Carole Gombakomba of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that despite Mutambara’s statement it is "business as usual.
The organization said it was unfortunate that Mutambara announced his decision to the media before bringing his concerns to the Save Zimbabwe Campaign leadership.
Lovemore Madhuku, who accompanied Tsvangirai on a Save Zimbabwe Campaign tour of European capitals, said the fact that Tsvangirai led the delegation, and would lead others to come did not indicate he was being favored over Mutambara.