Tsvangirai survives crash, wife dead

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By Staff Reporters
Posted to the web: 06/03/2009 17:28:12
ZIMBABWE'S Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his wife, Susan, were involved in a serious car crash on Friday afternoon while on a homecoming road trip to Tsvangirai's rural home in Buhera.

Susan died on the spot after she suffered fatal horrific injuries when Tsvangirai's MDC party-issued Landcruiser made contact with a haulage truck travelling in the opposite direction near Beatrice.

"The Prime Minister was travelling to Murambinda [in Buhera] at about 4PM when his vehicle was involved in an accident with a haulage truck and the vehicle in which the Prime Minister was travelling rolled over about three times with its four occupants," Tsvangirai's spokesman James Maridadi said.

Tsvangirai turned down an offer of a government driver when he became Prime Minister last month. He did accept a government-issued Mercedes S500 which he uses as his official car.

Several sources who spoke to New Zimbabwe.com said contrary to widespread reports that the accident was a head-on collision, the two vehicles "sideswiped" -- forcing the vehicle carrying Tsvangirai to roll three times.

Susan was sitting on the right side of the back seat -- the same side which made contact with the truck. Apart from Tsvangirai, his wife and the driver, an unidentified aide was also in the car. The driver and the aide's condition is unknown.

The MDC leader suffered injuries to the neck and the head but is expected to make a full recovery.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said: "Injuries, yes, but Mr Tsvangirai is not in a critical condition. We are still assessing the actual condition."

Tsvangirai, whose condition is described as "stable", was airlifted to a hospital in nearby Beatrice, then referred to Avenues Clinic in Harare. He could eventually be sent to neighbouring South Africa for further check-ups.

President Robert Mugabe, accompanied by his wife Grace, visited Tsvangirai at the private Clinic on Friday night. Several ministers also arrived, including Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zanu PF).

Tsvangirai and Susan have six children. They were married in 1978.

After leading the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party for 10 years, Tsvangirai formed a unity government with President Mugabe last month.

The two had been long-time rivals before agreeing a power-sharing deal.

The MDC leader was going home for the first time as Prime Minister. A rally was planned for Saturday at Murambinda Growth point in Buhera, which would also have been a celebration of Tsvangirai's 57th birthday. He was born on March 10.
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