Zimbabwe Prime Minister's party to probe his wife's death

Harare (Zimbabwe), Mar. 8 (ANI): Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party has said it will conduct its own investigation in the mysterious death of Tsvangirai's wife.

The Movement for Democratic Change so far believes that the highway crash that injured Tsvangirai and killed his wife Susan, 50, on Friday was an accident.

But many civic activists and party supporters remain profoundly skeptical that elements in President Robert Mugabe's ruling party were not somehow involved in the crash, the New York Times reports.

Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Tendai Biti said a further investigation of the crash was needed and contended that it could have been prevented if the police had provided the prime minister with an escort. Both the party and the police will look into the causes of the crash, he said.

The sport utility vehicle carrying the Tsvangirais was sideswiped by a truck that delivers American-supplied antiretroviral drugs to treat people with AIDS, a senior American official said.

A female passenger in the aid truck said the driver lost control after hitting a rough patch.

"From our initial understanding, it seems the truck hit a pothole, lost control, crossed the center line and sideswiped Morgan's car, causing it to turn over several times. It looks like it truly was an accident," the American official said.

Tsvangirai, who has been the target of assassination attempts in the past and fled the country last year out of fear for his life, was sworn in as prime minister in a power-sharing government with Mugabe only last month.

Both parties have been involved in the power struggles since.

Susan, Tsvangirai's wife of more than 30 years and the mother of their six children, was thrown from their vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser, in the crash and died shortly afterward. She will probably be buried Tuesday or Wednesday in Tsvangirai's rural home in Buhera, a party official said.

People who have spoken with Tsvangirai said he was shattered by the loss of his wife. (ANI)