TSVANGIRAI'S CAR ACCIDENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000194 SENSITIVE SIPDIS AF/S FOR B.WALCH DRL FOR N. WILETT ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ZI SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI'S CAR ACCIDENT -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST, PLEASE SEE PARAGRAPH 10. ¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador spoke with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on March 7, and USAID officials and Zimbabwean lawyers spoke with witnesses on the same day. It is clear that the incident in which Mr. Tsvangirai's car was struck and his wife lost her life was an unfortunate accident. In the midst of growing confusion in Zimbabwe about what took place and whether ZANU-PF was possibly involved, Tsvangirai spoke to the press today and affirmed that this was an accident. Tsvangirai is in good physical health, but appears emotionally devastated. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) Tsvangirai and his wife Susan were passengers in the second car of a three-car convoy at about 4 pm local time on March 6 traveling about 75 kilometers south of Harare en route to Tsvangirai's rural home of Buhera. Tsvangirai told the Ambassador at the hospital on March 7 that he heard a loud noise, looked up, and saw a truck traveling in the opposite direction hit a buckled portion of the road. The truck swerved to avoid the first car in Tsvangirai's convoy, then appeared to hit soft tar and lost control. It then struck the rear side of Tsvangirai's car which then overturned. Tsvangirai told the Ambassador there was a one-in-one-thousand chance that this was an intentional act. ¶4. (SBU) The truck that hit Tsvangirai was the lead truck of a two-truck team that was part of a health project supporting the distribution of HIV commodities in Zimbabwe. The driver of the second truck, Daniso Machipisa, said the incident occurred on a patch of road that had just been repaired. The tar had been built into a hump across the road at the end of the patch and was still wet. The driver of the truck that struck Tsvangirai, Mwanda, told Machipisa after the incident that he drove through a patch of wet tar and over the wet hump at which point his truck swerved and side-swiped what turned out to be Tsvangirai's vehicle. (NOTE: The Harare-Masvingo road where the crash occurred is notorious for potholes and accidents. END NOTE.) ¶5. (SBU) According to witnesses, Susan Tsvangirai was ejected from the car. She was taken to a local hospital but was either dead on arrival or died shortly thereafter. Mwanda was taken to a nearby police station and has been in custody since. ¶6. (SBU) Both trucks belong to a contractor whose HIV/AIDS work is co-financed by the U.S. and UK. The trucks, which were purchased by the USG, carry 81 TCE license plates and have USAID insignias. The "81" refers to the U.S. and the "TCE" indicates they are involved in assistance. The plate confers no diplomatic status although entry is duty free. Neither Machipisa nor Mwanda is a USG employee. ¶7. (SBU) In the Ambassador's March 7 meeting with Tsvangirai, the prime minister was lucid and appeared in relatively good health considering the circumstance. He told the Ambassador he was focused on the funeral and then Qthe Ambassador he was focused on the funeral and then returning to his office. Later in the day, he was flown to Botswana for precautionary testing and returned today. The Ambassador saw him soon after his return. Bandages had been removed from his head and he said he felt fine. In contrast to the March 7 meeting, however, he seemed emotionally devastated. No doubt his loss is settling in. He is fortified by the presence at his home of his children and other immediate family, and hundreds of well-wishers from his home village and from the MDC. HARARE 00000194 002 OF 002 ¶8. (U) Upon returning from Botswana, Tsvangirai spoke to the press and stated that the incident was an accident, and not foulplay. He told journalists, as he had told the Ambassador on March 7, that there was a one-in-one-thousand chance that this was intentional. The MDC has said it believes the crash was an accident, but said it would conduct an investigation. ¶9. (SBU) A private church service will take place tomorrow (Tsvangirai's 57th birthday),and later in the day a public memorial event in a local stadium. The funeral will take place in Buhera on Wednesday. ¶10. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: In the wake of the accident, there has been significant confusion about what took place and speculation about whether ZANU-PF was involved. Tsvangirai's statement to the press was a positive step. MDC spokesman and Minister of Information Nelson Chamisa requested that the USG issue a statement supporting Tsvangirai's statement. We suggest the following: "We are aware that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has spoken to the press and stated his belief that the incident in which his car was struck and his wife killed was an accident. This is our understanding as well. We again extend our condolences to Mr. Tsvangirai, his family, and the people of Zimbabwe; and wish him the best when he returns to work to confront the difficult problems facing Zimbabwe." END ACTION REQUEST. MCGEE