Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe - mother buried.
By Our Correspondent
DPM Thokozani Khupe
BULAWAYO - Prime Minister and MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai says he is worried by the number of accidents involving people associated with his party.
Speaking at a church service held in Saursetown, Bulawayo, on Sunday before the burial of Deputy Prime Minister, Thokozani Khupe’s mother Catherine Mabhiza, Tsvangirai said he was troubled by the rate of the accidents.
Mabhiza died Thursday morning at Arcadia Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. She was admitted there for treatment following a fatal car accident along the Harare-Bulawayo Road on February, 10 2009. The deputy Prime Minister’s aide, Timond Dube, perished in the accident.
Mabhiza sustained head injuries.
Susan Tsvangirai, the wife Prime Minister, died in a car crash on March 6 along the Harare-Masvingo Road. Another person was killed in an accident in the vicinity of the Tsvangirai accident while travelling back to Harare from Susan Tsvangirai’s funeral in Buhera.
More recently, two MDC ministers Gorden Moyo, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, the Water Resources Minister, both of the mainstream MDC, were involved in a minor accident when their Mercedes Benz was struck from behind by another vehicle as they were driven to Harare International Airport. The vehicle overturned and its three occupants were rushed to hospital.
“I am very troubled at the fast rate at which accidents involving the leadership of the party are happening,” Tsvangirai said. “It never rains but it now pours for us. Our loved ones are going.
“These two deaths (Mabhiza and Susan Tsvangirai’s) should not weaken us but should strengthen us, as a party in government and as Zimbabweans.
“The most painful thing about our mother’s death is that it was caused by an accident which occurred when she was travelling to Harare to attend the inauguration of her daughter as Deputy Prime Minister.”
Tsvangirai returned to Zimbabwe last Tuesday from a period of rest and recuperation in South Africa after he sustained head and neck injuries in the accident which killed his wife.
Tsvangirai has ruled out any prospect of foul play being the cause of the accident. The state of disrepair of Zimbabwe’s road network, vehicle defects as well as human error have been blamed for many accidents.
After the church service and body viewing Mabhiza was laid to rest at West Park Cemetery adjacent to Mpilo Hospital where thousands of MDC supporters were in attendance.
Also present at the burial was the Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo, who thanked the government for providing food for the mourners. The funeral was attended by members of the MDC national executive members and cabinet ministers.
The ministers included Eric Matinenga (Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs), Nelson Chamisa (Information and Technology), Murisi Zvizvai (Deputy Minister of Mines), Gordon Moyo (Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office) and Sam Sipepa Nkomo (Water Resources).
Zanu-PF officials and ministers were also in attendance. They included party chairman and Minister in President’s Office John Nkomo, Webster Shamu (Media, Information and Publicity Minister), Obert Mpofu (Mines) and Andrew Langa (Deputy Minister of Tourism).
Also present were Matabeleland South governor, Angeline Masuku, Zanu-PF politburo member Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Zimbabwe Defence Industry boss Tshinga Dube, who stood for Zanu-PF in Makokoba Constituency in last year’s parliamentary elections.
He lost to Deputy Prime Minister Khupe.
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