Johannesburg — ZIMBABWEAN Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai returns home from Botswana today to make funeral arrangements after receiving treatment for injuries sustained in a car accident on Friday in which his wife, Susan, was killed.
The burial of Susan comes under a cloud of suspicion and speculation about the cause of the crash, which has left Zimbabweans shocked.
Fears of foul play were gathering momentum as foreign governments called for a full investigations into the cause of the accident.
France and Australia have openly demanded an investigation to establish the truth about the crash. Britain, while saying the driver of the truck which hit the Tsvangirai's car was lucid and sober, also called for an investigation. Police have launched an investigation into the accident.
Tsvangirai was flown to neighbouring Botswana on Saturday to recover from the accident and to undergo another medical check-up, but is expected to return to Harare late today , said the official, who asked not to be named. The decision to fly Tsvangirai out of Zimbabwe was taken after Botswana's President Ian Khama sent officials to visit him in hospital in Harare on Saturday.
Some opposition officials claim the accident was contrived. In the same light many Zimbabweans suspect the accident was politically motivated given the country's long record of high-profile accidents involving politicians.
Suspicious accidents have over the years claimed prominent political figures, such as Josiah Tongogara, Sydney Malunga, Border Gezi, Elliot Manyika and Moven Mahachi.
Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesman Nelson Chamisa said funeral arrangements for Susan were at an advanced stage. "The body of the prime minister's wife would be removed from the mortuary tomorrow and lie in state at their Stratahaven home in Harare. On Tuesday the body will be taken to Glamis stadium for viewing before being transported to Buhera for burial on Wednesday morning," Chamisa said.
President Robert Mugabe has described the accident as a "tragedy". Desperate to distance himself from ties to a conspiracy that his diehard loyalists opposed to Tsvangirai's presence in the inclusive government could be involved, he visited the hos- pital with his wife Grace, and is likely to attend the funeral. His presence there would be unwelcome as the funeral will be dominated by angry MDC activists who might turn on him, as they have since entering Zimbabwe's parliament.
"The accident has presented a very challenging hurdle for Zimbabwe's fragile accord," said Daniel Makina, an analyst based at the University of SA. "People are not going to stop speculating and will probably start pointing fingers. Unfounded and damaging speculation could be disastrous."
Tsvangirai claims to have been the target of four assassination attempts including one in 1997 when he said assailants tried to throw him out of his office window. He has also survived a severe beating by security forces. While there were claims the accident could have been caused by potholes or a drunk driver, it emerged yesterday that this was not the case.
The driver of the truck has been named as Chinoona Mwanda, 35. Mwanda was taken back to the scene of the crash on Saturday morning after spending the night at a police station. At the scene a tearful Mwanda begged for forgiveness.
He is likely to face culpable homicide charges. Mwanda was driving a truck owned by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). He was carrying HIV/AIDS drugs for a project co-funded by the US and British governments and run by the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council. Britain has confirmed that it was their truck and driver who it said was not drunk or sleeping at the time of the accident.
Weekend reports quoted Sharon Hudson-Dean, the US Press Attache in Pretoria, as saying that although the truck was bought with USAID money it was privately contracted. She declined to comment further.
"We deeply regret this tragic accident and extend out deepest condolences to Tsvangirai," she said.
Tsvangirai, who turns 57 on Tuesday, had six children with Susan, who was popular among MDC supporters. She avoided the spotlight but stood by Tsvangirai throughout his ordeals as Mugabe's most determined opponent.
With Reuters
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" ... Suspicious accidents have over the years claimed prominent political figures, . .."
Inferred: And if you are not a rhodie, or if you are not prominent or you do not oppose Cde Mugabe and the rights of the natives of Zimbabwe, then your accident will not be declared "suspicious" by the rhodies and their media.
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" ... President Robert Mugabe ... Desperate to distance himself from ties to a conspiracy "
"Desperate"?
How did this journalist determine that he is "desperate"? Does such gossip and speculation become of any media - including the rhodie ones?
And of course the vile, racist rhodie would seek to attach a native-sounding name to the author of such idiotic twaddle.
Amazingly, in keeping with the idiotic theme, the paper stops short of accusing USA and UK (and all EU countries) of a conspiracy ...
Hats off to Mugabe's cronies! They were able to corrupt a driver, with links to NGOs running activities funded by the West, to deliver the death blow to Tsvangirai. This is the 5th attempt that he has survived while losing his dear wife.
A commission of inquiry must be set up while criminal Mugabe must take a leave of absence in order to prevent high level interference with the investigation. The other problem is who should sit on the commission? Most sitting judges have been bribed by Mugabe.
Serious thoughts must be given to recruit retired judges from the Commonwealth countries to compose the commission.
Mugabe has caused to kill and assassinate dozens of prominent people who were obstacles to his continued grip on power. It is logical therefore to lay blame on him for his incapacity to tackle his cronies; in fact, he is incapable to arrest the further spread of cholera, incapable to revert the "failed" state condition of the country. He has continued to undermine Tsvangirai and the GNU.
Who said he was a hero. It's Regina the new hero now. Her death will galvanize hatred towards Mugabe across the whole country. He will soon fall down the tree like the ripen fruit!
Shame on bootlickers who continue to praise criminal Mugabe! The world is scoffing at this pariah!
Even though a lot of people believe there to be foul play, i can understand the suspicions. Even the Uk does not believe there is any thing suspicious about this and is a genuine accident. Even though Robert Mugabe might of wanted to bump Morgan and Susan off, in this case I personnaly don't believe this to be the case. Reading the drivers reactions, he is absolutely distraught of what has happened and begging for forgiveness, I pray that Morgan can find it in his heart to do this, very hard i appreciate this, that moment of his for losing control of the truck which caused the accident could of haad serious reprocussions and it may have led Zimbabwe into total all out Civil War. Time for everyone to take a step back and let the investigators, preferably international, to do their job. Let us all give support to Morgan and his family to get through this tough sad time, this is a time for true reflection and go forward for a better Zimbabwe.
Prem, I understand you here, but Morgan has decided to go down the Mahattima Ghandi route, I commend him for this. This process must continue. It is long and hard but it will overcome the evils rampant in Zimbabwe at this moment in time.There is nothing stronger than love. Love yourself, love your neighbour, love your country, but most important of all, love the one true God.
" .. but Morgan has decided to go down the Mahattima Ghandi route, I commend him for this. .. "
Hypocrite!
Duplicity becoming of a christianist terrorist and a rhodie.
Did you forget to condemn the west's invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan?
Do you urge your christians to take the pacifist route - before the invasion - or do you talk about pacifism once the innocent natives (Iraqis or Africans) have been vanquished and the plunder established?
And of course, you would not think of berating your USA/UK for taking the belligerent line on Zimbabwe to the extent of imposing sanctions that have starved and killed millions in Zimbabwe. [Let us hear again the christianist duplicity: Blame the natives for their victimization.]
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Since you side with those in the west who would willfully and maliciously bring bring harm to the citizens of Zimbabwe, I do hope that you are not a Zimbabwean.
"Bring harm to citizens"?
Do the following words come to mind: "treason"? "sabotage"? "conspiracy"? "protecting .. from all enemies within and without"? [ The west would have many options on charges to bring against a citizen like you..]
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