Tsvangirai's wife killed in crash, Mugabe at hospital, scene

(7 Mar 2009) South of Harare, 7 March 2009
1. Various of crash site, police and turned over car on side of road
Harare, 6 March 2009
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2. Convoy arriving at hospital
3. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe arriving, he enters the hospital
Harare, 6 March 2009
4. Mugabe and wife walking out of hospital
5. Vice President Joyce Mujuru and Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono leaving hospital
Harare, 6 March 2009
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6. Exterior of hospital
7. SOUNDBITE (English) James Maridadi, Spokesman for Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai:
"One hundred kilometres from Harare there was a truck travelling in the opposite direction, and the information that I have is that the truck encroached into the lane of the prime minister and hit the prime minister's vehicle on the side, and it rolled three times, resulting in all the occupants in the prime minister's vehicle getting injured."
8. Cutaway
9. SOUNDBITE (English) James Maridadi, Spokesman for Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai:
"Yes, I saw the prime minister when he came in. I spoke to him, exchanged greetings. He actually walked from the vehicle that brought him here."
10. Media waiting outside
Harare, 6 March 2009
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tendai Biti, Finance Minister:
"The doctors and the families will make the necessary announcements in due course, thank you."
12. Biti walking away
Harare, 2000
13. Various of Morgan Tsvangirai with his wife Suzan and children
Buhera - June 24, 2000
14. Tsvangirai voting with his wife
Harare, date unknown
15. Morgan Tsvangirai with his wife Suzan walking with reporters
16. Morgan Tsvangirai blowing out birthday candles with his wife
Harare - 15 October 2004
17. Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai arriving at court with his wife, Susan, surrounded by press
18. Tsvangirai and his wife walking inside court complex
19. Tsvangirai and his wife exiting court building amidst press
Harare, 7 March 2009
20. Saturday Herald headline: "Tsvangirai in horror crash"
STORYLINE:
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai may be released from hospital on Saturday, a doctor said, a day after a collision with a truck carrying US aid in which his wife was killed.
The head of casualty at the Harare hospital where Tsvangirai was being treated said the prime minister had head injuries and chest pains, but was in stable condition.
The crash occurred on Friday evening on the outskirts of the capital on a decrepit road notorious for accidents.
Like many in Zimbabwe, it is in poor condition because it has not been maintained.
A US Embassy official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official spokesman was not immediately available, said on Saturday that the truck involved was transporting medicine for AIDS patients donated by the US government.
It was driven by a Zimbabwean contracted by the United States.
State television said the truck swerved on an uneven stretch of road.
Tsvangirai's spokesman James Maridadi earlier said the Tsvangirais' car sideswiped the truck and rolled at least three times.
The state-run newspaper The Herald reported on Saturday that the two other people in Tsvangirai's car - the driver and a bodyguard - were also injured.
The paper added the driver and occupants of the truck were taken to a police station, but it was unclear whether they had been arrested.
A police spokesman told The Herald the truck may have struck an object on the road before it veered.
President Robert Mugabe spent about an hour at the hospital late on Friday.

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