By Political Reporter – Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri has extended her condolences to the families of four senior soldiers—comprising a Brigadier, two Majors, and a Sergeant—linked to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who tragically perished in a head-on collision just a few kilometres from Battlefields near Kwekwe on Tuesday.
The proximity of Battlefields to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farm in Sherwood, near Kwekwe, casts a sombre shadow over the incident, raising unsettling questions about its timing and circumstances.
In a statement, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri expressed profound sorrow at the loss of lives, particularly during a time when the nation was poised to commemorate its 44th anniversary of Independence.
“I have learned with shock and sadness the tragic death of four members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the injury of four others in a road traffic accident near Kwekwe along the Harare-Bulawayo highway on April 16, 2024,” she lamented.
“While the nation is preparing to celebrate 44 years of independence, your People’s Force mourns with a heavy heart and deep sorrow,” she added, emphasising the shared grief with President Mnangagwa, the affected families, and the nation at large.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri also conveyed prayers for the swift recovery of those hospitalised due to the accident.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, through its Director of Poly, Public Relations, and International Affairs, Brigadier General Augustine Chipwere, provided preliminary details surrounding the fatal incident.
Brigadier General Chipwere, speaking on behalf of the ZDF, expressed profound sorrow over the loss of Brigadier General Shadreck Vezha, Major Thabani Ncube, Major Mqondisi Gumbo, and Sergeant Chakabaiwa in the tragic accident.
The incident, approximately 2km from Battlefields in Mashonaland West Province, has left a void in the military ranks and a trail of devastation among their comrades.
Initial investigations indicate that Brigadier General Vezha’s vehicle attempted to overtake another car, veering into oncoming traffic and colliding with a Mazda CX-5 travelling towards Kwekwe.
This collision claimed the lives of the four senior soldiers, while several passengers from both vehicles sustained injuries of varying severity.
As the nation grapples with this loss, whispers of suspicion linger, suggesting a more sinister plot. Opponents of the Mnangagwa regime point to a pattern of targeted eliminations of Chiwenga-aligned military figures, fueling speculation of Machiavellian machinations to thwart Chiwenga’s ascent to power.
Brigadier General Shadreck Vezha, a decorated soldier honoured for his service in the United Nations Syria Mission, now joins the ranks of fallen heroes, his legacy clouded by the spectre of political intrigue and manipulation.
As investigations into the accident continue, Zimbabwe finds itself at a crossroads, grappling with uncertainty and the pervasive fear of further destabilisation in its corridors of power.