Zimbabwe's opposition leader has quit his Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party five months after he lost in a presidential election against incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa.
A political crisis has been growing since a group of CCC MPs had their seats declared vacant and were barred from standing in the new votes.
Chamisa, 45, said on Wednesday the party had been infiltrated by the ruling Zanu-PF party and that efforts to wrestle back control were frustrated by what he termed as state-captured institutions.
The resignation takes effect immediately and he will announce his next steps later, he said.
"I no longer have anything to do with CCC. My focus remains fully on Zimbabwe, asserting your victory, honoring the citizens mandate," his statement said.
"Giving up or giving in is not an option. Nothing comes without tenacity and resilience," he added.
The crisis was sparked by a letter penned in October by Songezo Tshabangu, a little-known politician claiming to be the CCC's interim secretary-general. It stated that 15 CCC lawmakers elected in legislative election in August had ceased to be party members and should lose their seats.
Chamisa protested that Tshabangu was not a CCC member, the party had no secretary-general and had not expelled any MP. The speaker of parliament ignored him and declared the seats vacant.
The ruling ZANU-PF has denied causing the turmoil.
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