As the mourners beat the drums

Zimbabweans are mourning the tragic loss of Susan Tsvangirai in an apparent car accident on Friday 6 March 2009.

There are tentative indications that her funeral will take place this Wednesday 11 March 2009 in Zimbabwe. Currently mourners are gathered in two locations: at the Tsvangirai’s home in rural Buhera, some 80km outside the capital city, and at their Harare home in the neighbourhood of Strathaven. Yesterday the road outside the Tsvangirai's home in Harare was filled with hundreds of mourners in MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) t-shirts, singing Shona funeral songs, dancing and beating drums.

Born Susan Nyaradzo Mhundwa on 24 April 1958, she met Morgan Tsvangirai in 1976 whilst he was working as a foreperson at Trojan, a Nickel mine in Bindura in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland province.

Although the mainstream media is reporting that Susan Tsvangirai often avoided the public spotlight, she was always with Tsvangirai when he took part in political rallies for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). During his treason trial she accompanied him to court and was by his bedside when he was beaten on March 11 2007, following the Save Zimbabwe Prayer Campaign attacks and arrests.

She opened her home to members of the MDC where Tsvangirai ran an office, even at odd hours.

Shaken by the death of his partner of more than three decades, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is in Botswana where he is receiving psychosocial support, and reportedly reflecting on how to take forward a political career that has always relied on and benefited from her close support.

The couple, an aide and driver were travelling in metallic gold Toyota landcruiser – registration number AAW 4478 – from Harare to Buhera. The vehicle was hit near the 86km peg close to the Ngezi turn-off by an aid truck apparently carrying goods on contract for John Snow International, a joint project of USAID and the British government.

Their car was the second in a three-vehicle convoy travelling to Buhera for an MDC rally planned to take place at a growth point called Murambinda.

Currently there are a number of accounts of the nature of the accident. It is reported that Susan was thrown out of the car, which rolled several times and struck her body on impact with the ground. She was rushed to Beatrice Hospital, where she was found to be deceased on arrival.

Other reports indicate that the driver of the truck, identified as a Mr Chinoona Mwanda, 35, had fallen asleep at the wheel and hit the vehicle the Tsvangirai’s were travelling in. There are also reports of the bad state of the road following poor roadwork to repair potholes.

At a press conference Finance Minister and MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti stated that the accident could have been avoided if there had been a proper police escort.

‘I think the authorities must understand the omission…an escort could have avoided the loss of life and I hope that this omission would be rectified and that Tsvangirai be given the protection that ought to be accorded a prime minister, namely travelling with a police escort’, Biti said.

There have been four confirmed assassination attempts on Morgan Tsvangirai’s life.

In the election campaign period of 2008 Zimbabwe Defence Forces chief, General Constantine Chiwenga was reported as saying: ‘The army will not support or salute sell-outs and agents of the West either before, during or after the elections.’

* Prespone Matawira is a Zimbabwean feminist and activist who contributes to the new Chii Chirikuita: What's up? blog.
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