There's terrible breaking news from Zimbabwe, where Morgan Tsvangirai has been badly injured in a car accident and his wife Susan has been killed. Let's hope this really was just a tragic accident, but there will be strong suspicions that dark forces might have played a part. If Mugabe's henchmen are found to have been involved, then who knows what the consequences may be.
UPDATE: David Boothroyd writes in the comments...
There is a disturbingly long list of senior Zimbabwean politicians who have died in car accidents (often involving only their car going off the road) over the years. The odd thing is that they all seem to have been emerging as significant rivals to Robert Mugabe at the time of their death.
Indeed. I’m afraid I tend towards a ‘Mugabe’s henchmen did it’ theory until proved absolutely otherwise...
ReplyDeleteIf this was foul play then it could erupt all over again. The UK and US were quick to invade Afghanistan and Iraq but seem content to leave Zimbabwe to wither. And the other African nations need to take a long hard look at themselves for allowing this to go on.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope this was a tragic accident. Otherwise...
ReplyDeleteThere is a disturbingly long list of senior Zimbabwean politicians who have died in car accidents (often involving only their car going off the road) over the years. The odd thing is that they all seem to have been emerging as significant rivals to Robert Mugabe at the time of their death.
ReplyDeleteUncle Bob said...
ReplyDeleteIf they had billions of barrels of oil we would have been there decades ago. I don't wish to pre-judge but Doctor Kelly's name springs to mind.
Sadly Oldrightie, I think you may have a point.
ReplyDeleteC website is reporting him as 'slightly' injured, which is a little more hopeful.
ReplyDeleteSouth Africa especially has been shamed by its political leaders in regard to Zimbabwe. Whatever the rights and wrongs before the rise of the ANC, they have no excuse for their support for Mugabe.
ReplyDeleteSome posters seem to favour intervention, but I disagree. It is not for Britain and America to intervene in African politics, we have no strategic interest in the region, and it is not possible to fight wars for humanitarian causes all over the world (at the same time). We are hopelessly militarily stretched at present, and Zimbabwe is land locked and without local allies we would find it impossible to execute a clean campaign.
It is no accident. It is a traditional method of political elimination in Zimbabwe. It has also proved quite successful in Kenya where politicians and senior civil servants also seem to drive very poorly and fail to maintain brakes well.
ReplyDeleteBloomin annoying. Mugabe just keeps going.
Many other political rivals of Mugabe have suffered "Car Accidents" usualy with an army vehicle, the car would be a right-off and military vehicle, scratched paint at most, well it would not surprise me, the only thing that would surprise me would be he government could afford the fuel for the truck. Give me 20 men and the job could be done in a weekend, after rugby.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame Zimbabwe didn't have oil, or we would have "liberated them" years ago....
ReplyDeleteLike the others, I blame Mugabe until proven otherwise.
Some other examples:
ReplyDelete* Josiah Tongogara (December 1979), single car crash in Mozambique. He was the leader of the anti-Mugabe faction in ZANU which wanted to run a joint election campaign with ZAPU.
* Rufaro Gwanzura (August 2000), car crash in Zimbabwe. MP for Marondera West.
* Border Gezi (April 2001), single car crash on the Masvingo road. Minister for Gender, Youth and Employment with a large following among young members of ZANU-PF.
* Moven Mahachi (May 2001), single car crash in Zimbabwe. Minister of Defence and popular among the armed forces.
'WE shouldn't intervene per se, but the United Nations should've intervened years ago.'
ReplyDeleteWould that UN were an organisation based on firm principle. The UN is hopelessly corrupt and useless, no better really than the league of nations. Its processes are designed to promote stalemate and delay, it is an organisation whose sole purpose seems to be to fiddle while Rome burns.
My first thought when the news broke about this car crash was "I wonder if this was an attempt to assassinate Tsvangirai?"
ReplyDeleteThat tells its own story and I notice other people arrived at the same conclusion.
These could turn out to be the consequences for the disgraceful and cowardly refusal of African states, the US and Britain to tackle Mugabe head on.
Zimbabwe is land locked and could only be invaded with local help.
ReplyDeleteSouth Africa could easily invade and remove Mugabe.
Zimbabwe does not have oil but it was the breadbasket of Africa. Under proper manaement it could greatly aleviate famine in Africa.
But then famine in Africa is the direct result of tyrannical dictatorships replacing democracies. Countless millions have died since the end of 'colonialism'. If the lefties were really concerned about humanitarian issues - rather than just mouthing off anti empire colonial diatribes and anti capitalist rants - then they would have resisted the 'end of empire' they would have condemned the likes of Mugabe in his terrorist days they would have supported local accountability and democracy under direct rule until Africa was ready.
The continent might have been different. The place to invade of course is Switzerland - thats where the despots have squirrelled their money away.
Would mugabe really visit him in hospital if he was responsible ?
ReplyDeleteperhaps to squash rumours he was involved but i doubt we will ever know for certain.
I'd like to know more about the guy who was driving the truck but i'm sure if it was planned he won't have anything that links him to mugabe.
" The odd thing is that they all seem to have been emerging as significant rivals to Robert Mugabe at the time of their death. "
ReplyDeleteNo, really? no sh*t Sherlock.
The car crash would appear to be the Zimbabwean equivalent of the Chiltern Hundreds
ReplyDelete"I don't wish to pre-judge but Doctor Kelly's name springs to mind."
ReplyDeleteDon't forget building 7
I like the idea of invading Switzerland (Trevorsden).
ReplyDeleteAnybody fancy joining me? Mmm, but we need a reason, a pretext..
I hear they have Watches of Mechanical Distinction.
I wonder how long before Mr Mugabe has a similar 'accident'?
ReplyDeleteThen his henchmen will become the new ruling elite. And civil war will break out.
Now if the driver of the truck comes off the Forth Road Bridge at Junction 1 (the A921) and turns back to Inverkeithing along the B981 going to North Queensferry, then .................
ReplyDelete@David Boothroyd,
ReplyDeleteYup, but nothing original. I seem to recall similar road accidents happening to Idi Amin's opponents in the 70s.
"Would mugabe really visit him in hospital if he was responsible ?"
ReplyDeleteMugabe would want to see for himself if there is any chance that Morgan Tsvangirai might possibly "succumb to his injuries" in hospital.
That footage of Mugabe making the hospital visit is really quite stomach-churning.
ReplyDeleteI mean who would you least want to visit you in hospital? Robert Mugabe or Margaret Thatcher? Both pretty terrifying prospects. It’s a toss-up for sure.
Were they all run off the road by lorries?
ReplyDelete