Grace Mugabe’s foe dies in horror crash

Politics
SUSPENDED Zanu PF women’s league top official, Espinah Nhari died in a horrific accident involving three cars on Friday, with a senior ruling party official yesterday saying the Midlands politician was troubled in her last days because of persecution.

SUSPENDED Zanu PF women’s league top official, Espinah Nhari died in a horrific accident involving three cars on Friday, with a senior ruling party official yesterday saying the Midlands politician was troubled in her last days because of persecution.

BY OBEY MANAYITI/XOLISANI NCUBE

Nhari died when the vehicle she was travelling in was involved in a head-on collision in Kadoma.

The secretary for administration in the women’s league, was early this year suspended for three years for chanting the “down with G40 slogan” at First Lady Grace Mugabe’s rally in Masvingo.

Grace is the secretary for women’s affairs in Zanu PF and has been accused of being the power behind the G40 faction, which is locked in a bitter war to succeed President Robert Mugabe with a faction linked to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Police yesterday confirmed the accident that claimed Nhari’s life, but refused to reveal the identity of the deceased, saying they were yet to notify her next of kin.

Police spokesperson Chief Superintended Paul Nyathi said the accident, which involved three cars occurred at 135 km peg along Harare Bulawayo road at around 7 pm.

According to Nyathi the deceased was a passenger in a BMW vehicle which was driving towards Kadoma.

The accident involved two other vehicles driving in an opposite direction, a Toyota Hilux and Mazda BT50, when one of the cars tried to overtake resulting in a head-on collision.  

However, Transport Minister and acting Zanu PF Midlands chairperson, Jorum Gumbo said Nhari died a bitter person due to the manner she was treated by the ruling party.

“She was troubled person in her last days. She was a nurse and had to leave that job to work full time as secretary for administration in the women’s league.

“But unfortunately as you know she was voted out from the post due to allegations she said are false,” Gumbo said.

“She has been fighting to challenge that and while her appeal is yet to be heard, she heard that the post has been filled up already.

“This ate into her big time. She suffered a lot as she was always complaining that her case was unfairly handled.”

He said there was nothing the Midlands provincial executive could do.

“We can’t even recognise her efforts in the party because she had been suspended for three years,” Gumbo said.

“All we can do is to accept that she is no more. She died in an accident in Kadoma but I don’t know what really happened.

“She always complained that she felt the party used and ditched her, imagine leaving your job as a nurse and overnight suspended for a crime you believe you did not commit.”

Nhari was suspected to be in Mnangagwa’s faction, which is said to control Midlands provinces. After her anti-G40 slogan, she was savaged by some ruling party officials who are aligned to Grace.