Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was in a car accident on a two-lane highway between his home in Buhera and the capital city Harare. The car accident killed his wife, Susan, and left Tsvangirai with head injuries. Suspicions were raised about the nature of the accident and some are suggesting Mugabe might be connected. Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change told reporters it was too early to call this more than an accident. But Tom McDonald, US ambassador to Zimbabwe from 1997-2001 thinks otherwise. McDonald told CNN, "I'm skeptical about any motor vehicle accident in Zimbabwe involving an opposition figure. President Mugabe has a history of strange car accidents when someone lo and behold dies -- it's sort of his M.O. of how they get rid of people they don't like." McDonald spoke directly to three deaths, Defense Minister Moven Mahachi, Employment Minister Border Gezi's, and Elliot Manyika, a government minister and former regional governor, all of which were car crashes. McDonald has urged for a full investigation by a third party. The fragile, newly formed coalition government has been under a lot of heat recently and analysts fear this accident could be the breaking point, particularly if it is linked back to Mugabe.
Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, said Monday he believes the car accident he was involved in on Friday was a complete accident. This just days after his political party, Movement for Democratic Change, declared the accident to be an assassination attempt on Tsvangirai’s life. On Monday, Tsvangirai returned home from Botswana where he was being treated for head injuries sustained during the crash and told reporters, “If it was foul play, it was one in a thousand.” However, sources in Tsvangirai’s political movement told CNN on Saturday that Tsvangirai thought the driver deliberately crashed into him. Members of the MDC are asking for a third party investigation into the events of the accident. Traffic accidents are common in Zimbabwe and many of the cars from the country are in bad shape with inexperienced drivers.
Finally, Roy Bennett has been released from prison in Mutare. The Zimbabwean Supreme Court ordered he be released on bail Wednesday. Bennett spent nearly one month in jail on charges he called, “an absolute fabrication,” reports Al Jazeera. Bennett told reporters he planned to travel to Harare later Thursday to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister, in the new unity government. Bennett was nominated by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and would have been sworn in weeks ago had he not been arrested. The timing of the arrest, and the fact that the initial charge of treason was immediately changed to weapons charges upon arrest raises concerns about the legitimacy of this new coalition government. As conditions of his bail Bennett turned over his passport and $5,000 as a deposit. Bennett also must visit a police station three times a week.
My biggest concern for this young government is how the next few weeks will go. Will there be an investigation into the causes of the accident? I hope so, but for the sake of the country that might not be the best thing right now. At a time when the two government factions should be working together to restore their country for the good of the people there are rumors of potential assassination attempts amongst high ranking officials. Meanwhile, Roy Bennett has an upcoming trial to prepare for. It seems like the release of Bennett immediately after this accident, is only to calm the critics of the coalition government. He has been charged with terrorist activities and plotting against the state, but while he's not in jail he is in charge of agriculture. Does that seem backwards to anyone else? The MDC should cut ties with Bennett and the Zanu-PF should get rid of Mugabe. All they bring to the table is controversy and that is the last thing Zimbabwe needs. If these people in charge really care about their fellow countrymen they would start working on the Cholera epidemic or dilapidated hospitals and schools instead of fighting amongst themselves all the time.
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