Tsvangirai says crash was an accident, rules out foul play

• Tsvangirai returns home to bury his wife

• Tsvangirai death crash truck driver named

• Tsvangirai's children rush home to be with their father

• Driver of Tsvangirai death crash truck 'not asleep': UK

• Tsvangirai flown to Botswana, party wants security review

• Tsvangirai death crash truck bought by US embassy

• Mugabe visits inured Tsvangirai

• Orbituary: The life of Susan Tsvangirai

• Tsvangirai injured, wife dead in car crash

• Prime Minister's inaugural address to parliament

• Online: Prime Minister's Website

Posted to the web: 09/03/2009 11:37:12
ZIMBABWE Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has ruled out foul play in the car crash that killed his wife, declaring the collision was an accident.

"When something happens, there is always speculation but I want to say in this case, if there was any foul play, it was one in a thousand,'' he said.

"It was an accident and unfortunately it took her life,'' he told mourners gathered at his Harare home.

Tsvangirai's wife, Susan, was killed and he was injured Friday when a foreign aid truck hit their car, sending it flipping over at least three times.

Political tensions with President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai's partner in a new unity government, had prompted speculation over the cause of the crash.

Mugabe, after a briefing from intelligence officials, visited Tsvangirai at Harare's Avenues Clinic hours after the crash.

The Prime Minister told a visibly shocked Mugabe: "Baba, mwana wenyu aenda. Zvangouyawo (Father, your daughter is gone. The accident just happened)."

Vice President Joice Mujuru wept at the sight of Tsvangirai sleeping on the hospital bed, his head heavily bandaged. She told the MDC leader: "Tatozvinzwa ne news (We heard it on the news)." Tsvangirai replied: "Tanga tiri kuenda kumusha zvedu, zvangouyawo (We were just going home, and it just happened)."

An official investigation is underway. The driver of the truck which sideswiped the Prime Minister's vehicle on a notoriously dangerous stretch of the Harare-Masvingo road appeared in court on Monday, charged with culpable homicide, his lawyer said.

Chinoona Mwanda appeared at a court in Chivhu, 150km (90 miles) south of Harare, accompanied by three plain-clothed police officers. His bail application was granted and he was remanded to return to court on March 23, said his lawyer Chris Mhike.

The British and United States governments have officially said they believe the crash was a tragic accident.
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