http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Lance Guma
16 March 2009
The company who own the truck involved in the crash which killed Susan
Tsvangirai, has suspended one of its administrators, after it turned out the
vehicle was not driven by one of their drivers. The truck was carrying AIDS
drugs for a project funded by the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID).
A report by the weekly Standard newspaper says John Snow International (JSI)
is the contractor for this AIDS project and they issued a confidential memo
3 days after the accident, stating that although the truck belonged to them
it was not driven by a JSI driver on the day. The new revelation will no
doubt raise further questions over whether the crash which claimed the life
of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wife, was an accident or an
assassination attempt on his life.
According to the newspaper the JSI memo says; 'As you may have heard, there
was a tragic car accident on Friday (March 6) in Zimbabwe in which the Prime
Minister (Morgan Tsvangirai) was injured and his wife was killed. The
vehicle involved in this accident was registered to USAid/Deliver (a JSI
Project) although not driven by a JSI driver, as far as we know. At this
point, further details about the accident are unknown. Understandably, this
tragedy has generated a lot of media interest. If you receive any inquiries
from the media, we ask that you please direct them to Penelope Riseborough,
WEI/JSI Director of Communication in Boston.'
The focus has now shifted to how the suspended administrator, a woman in
charge of the delivery trucks and known only as N. Dube, could have
dispatched the vehicle without a JSI driver. She is now the centre of an
internal investigation by the company. A source who spoke to the Standard
newspaper said; 'The administrator has been quizzed on how the truck was
released laden with SCMC (Supply Chain Management System) drugs but with an
unofficial driver. If it was coming from delivery in Masvingo it should have
been empty,' they said. So far JSI have said; 'We cannot at this time make
any comment on the detail of the accident but we are co-operating fully with
the authorities to ensure the investigation is open and transparent.'
Last week the United States Embassy in Harare issued a statement clarifying
the ownership of the truck saying it 'was purchased with USAID funds by a
contractor and belonged to the contractor.' Many in the ZANU PF regime,
including independent MP Jonathan Moyo, immediately seized on the
opportunity to demand 'an international investigation into the activities of
USAID in Zimbabwe'.
USAID have provided US$260 million for emergency programs since October
2007, in addition to food, health care, safe water, and HIV/AIDS programs.
It would seem highly unlikely that they would have an interest in
eliminating the one man people hope will lead Zimbabwe out of the many
crises created by ZANU PF.
Tsvangirai himself has insisted the crash was an accident, but his
assurances have not stopped the speculation.
Newsreel last week spoke to the Chris Mhike, the lawyer of the driver of the
truck. He said his client hit a hump and lost control of the truck before
hitting Tsvangirai's Land Cruiser. But our correspondent Simon Muchemwa, who
has since visited the scene of the crash, insists there are no humps on that
stretch of road. His comments are corroborated by Deputy Mines Minister and
MDC legislator Murisi Zwizwayi, who also visited the crash scene, and who
also said there are no potholes or humps. 'It's just a clear road,' he
remarked.
At Mrs. Tsvangirai's funeral last week some of the songs sang by the
mourners blamed Mugabe and his party for the crash. In the absence of a
thorough investigation, questions will continue to be raised.
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