THE tragic crash in which Susan Tsvangirai died and
Zimbabwe's recently sworn in Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, was
injured, has shocked the region.Tsvangirai has been spirited out of Zimbabwe, probably to neighbouring Botswana, amid fears that he might be the victim of an assassination attempt.
There is no evidence to back this up, though Zimbabwe's police and the opposition MDC are both investigating what took place.
But, in a country in which political opponents have a habit of dying in car accidents, Tsvangirai's crash is being regarded with deep suspicion.
According to Zimbabwe police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena: A haulage truck encroached into the lane of the Prime Minister's car, resulting in a side-swipe which resulted in the prime Minister's car, a 4X4 Toyota Land Cruiser, rolling over three times.
There is heavy irony in the crash because it has emerged that the truck was hauling aid from Britain and the US aid which was probably only allowed into the country after Tsvangirai signed a power-sharing deal.
What is extremely alarming is the lack of trust that continues to exist between the two key parties sharing power Tsvangirai's MDC and Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF.
Mugabe did visit Tsvangirai in hospital to personally convey his condolences and to wish his former arch-rival well.
But the MDC remains concerned about Tsvangirai's safety.
If the country's prime minister remains outside the country because he fears for his life, this will seriously undermine the fragile power- sharing arrangement.
What is needed is a swift, credible, independent investigation into the car crash that will settle the matter one way or the other. Unless this happens, the crash could snuff out Zimbabwe's flickering hopes for peace.
The Times (SA)
Post published in: News