Wounded Zimbabwe PM Flies To Botswana

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesman said Friday the premier was hurt in a car accident in which his wife died, Reuters reported. "I can confirm that Susan Tsvangirai has died following the accident," a source in his party told Reuters. Tsvangirai's injuries are reportedly not life-threatening. Tsvangirai's spokesman, James Maridadi, told Reuters an aide was also injured in the accident on the outskirts of Harare. President Robert Mugabe arrived at the hospital late in the evening, followed by Joice Mujuru, a vice president and member of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party. They did not speak to reporters or Tsvangirai supporters gathered outside. Tsvangirai's convoy had been traveling to a weekend rally in the prime minister's home region, south of Harare, when their car sideswiped a truck, Maridadi said. No other details on the crash were immediately available. The Tsvangirais, who married in 1978 and had six children, often went together to political events, but Susan did not have a prominent public role. Analysts say the crash raises suspicions of foul play. One former U.S. diplomat called for an outside investigation, saying it was not the first time one of Mugabe's political foes had been killed or injured in a car crash."The doctor recommended that Mr Tsvangirai needed to recuperate, and he could not do that at home given his circumstance," the source said. "I do not know when he will be back, he will undergo a check-up. But he is out of danger now." Mr Tsvangirai was flown out of Zimbabwe on a private jet sent by Botswanan President Ian Seretse Khama, an MDC official said. Mr Khama is one of the few African leaders to openly criticise President Robert Mugabe, with whom Mr Tsvangirai entered a power-sharing deal.