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Tsvangirai crash: three drivers linked to USAID, DFID
Our reporter
Fri, 13 Mar 2009 05:23:00 +0000
 Crash truck with US registered plates |
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THREE United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
drivers are linked to the crash that claimed the life of Mrs Susan
Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe Prime Minister's wife, the Zimbabwe Guardian has
learnt.
Mrs Tsvangirai died on Friday last week after a vehicle she was
travelling in, together with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, was
involved in a collision with a USAID registered truck.
ABC News reported on the day of the crash that the accident truck
belonged to a contractor working for the U.S. and British governments.
According to ABC News: "U.S. officials ... said the vehicle was owned
by (a) contractor, (and) had a USAID insignia on it. The vehicle was
purchased by the contractor with U.S. government money, and the driver
was hired and paid by a British development agency" -- the Department
for International Development (DfID).
According to sources, another U.S. registered truck was behind the crash truck, driven by Chinoona Mwanda (35), when the accident occured on Friday. Mwanda was a DfID contracted driver "on routine business" according to sources.
Another driver employed by USAID in Zimbabwe is facing trial on charges of attempting to kill Air Marshall Perence Shiri.
Frank Muchirahondo was arrested on January 22 at Forbes Border post in Mutare. The state alleged that he was attempting to run away from the country when he was apprehended.
Air Marshall Shiri was shot in the hand after he was ambushed by gunmen while driving to his farm in December last year.
An unnamed driver was driving another truck resembling the crash truck when the deadly accident occured on Friday. He is also believed to be employed by DfID and the truck is also believed to have a US registered number plate and USAID insignia.
U.S. EVASIVE
The U.S. has dodged questions on the ownership of the crash truck.
A statement released by the U.S. embassy in Harare on Thursday did not name the owner of the truck. The statement only said the truck "was purchased with USAID funds by a contractor and belonged to the contractor."
When asked about the ownership of the truck on Tuesday, the Acting U.S. Deputy Department Spokesman Gordon Duguid was evasive.
"We obviously send our condolences to the friends and family of Morgan Tsvangirai. This is a real tragedy and – you know, an unspeakable tragedy. And nothing beyond that in terms of discussions," he said.
"From all the reports we’ve seen, and I believe even Mr. Tsvangirai has commented on it, this appears to have been just an unfortunate accident."
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DREADS • na.
Subject: CONSPIRACY THEORIES?
Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:22:35 • DAG Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld was a Swedish diplomat, Christian mystic, and the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, serving until his death in a plane crash in September 1961, the only U.N. Secretary-General to die in office.
No one accepted responsibility.
At the time of Hammarskjöld's death, western intelligence agencies were actively interfering in the political situation in the Congo, which culminated in Belgian support for the secession of Katanga and the assassination of elected prime minister Patrice Lumumba. Belgium has since publicly acknowledged and apologized for its culpability in the death of Lumumba.
A South African inquiry into the crash of 19th October, that killed Samora Machel, says the Margo Commission, blamed pilot error. A Soviet led investigation (which was carried out because the plane had been Russian in origin) concluded that the plane had been pulled off course by a decoy beacon.
The list is never ending.
SONGBIRD • na
Subject: FRAUDULENT LICENCES
Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:16:04 • On the other hand, Tendai, how many in Zimbabwe are driving around with fraudulent licences?
Perhaps these three are part of that spectre.
Is there no way any employee can source official confirmation of a driving licence to validate it when interviewing potential drivers?
Anyway, everything happens in threes, or didn't you know that?
Tendai • n/a
Subject: Fool me once
Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:25:29 • First Shiri, now this. Coincidence, I think not
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