Zimbabwean Finance Minister Tendai Biti escaped serious injury late Tuesday when the vehicle in which he was traveling from Chegutu to Harare was forced off the road by a truck that veered into the oncoming lane, said sources in his Movement for Democratic Change.
Biti, secretary general of the MDC formation headed by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, was expected to be released late Wednesday from the Avenues Clinic in Harare where he was under observation for possible chest injuries from the air bag that deployed in the collision that sent the vehicle into a ditch.
MDC sources said they hoped that Biti would be able to represent the party in the next round of talks on issues troubling the power-sharing government in Harare. The negotiators for the three governing parties are supposed to wrap up their talks by late this month and report to South African President Jacob Zuma, mediator for the Southern African Development Community.
Biti's accident was similar to the one in March 2009 in which Prime Minister Tsvangirai's wife Susan died. The party said no foul play was suspected.
Police spokesman Andrew Phiri told VOA Studio 7 reporter Blessing Zulu that the finance minister’s car was sideswiped by the truck.
Tsvangirai MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said party members are grateful their secretary general emerged from the crash alive and apparently uninjured.
