Party Official Escapes Death in Accident Highlighting Zimbabwe’s Road Safety Crisis

  • Better Choto, ZANU-PF Central Committee member for Wedza, survived a severe car crash on December 14 after his official Ford Ranger rolled multiple times.

  • The accident occurred around 1:00 p.m. near Chemhanza Primary School in Mashonaland East when Choto swerved to avoid an oncoming bus.

  • The vehicle, part of a fleet distributed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in October, sustained heavy damage, including deployed airbags and shattered windows.

  • Choto was initially treated at Wedza Rural Hospital before being transferred to Mt. St. Mary’s Hospital, where he is reported to be in stable condition.

  • Ministers Tino Machakaire and Advocate Itayi Ndudzo visited the stalwart, personally covering his medical expenses and coordinating his recovery.

  • The incident refocuses attention on the dangers posed by Zimbabwe’s narrow, under-maintained rural strip roads, which are notorious for high accident rates.

A Near-Fatal Brush on the District Strip

Zimbabwe’s vast network of rural roads, often characterized by potholes and limited safety features, claimed another near-victim over the weekend. Better Choto, a key ZANU-PF representative in the Wedza district, was driving alone on a strip road when he was forced into a desperate maneuver. Having just dropped his family at home, he was heading to his farm with supplies when a bus unexpectedly appeared, resulting in the high-speed rollover.

The sheer damage to the top-range Ford Ranger—shattered windows and fully deployed safety systems—testifies to the force of the collision’s avoidance and subsequent rolling. Choto’s quick thinking is credited with preventing a potentially fatal head-on crash, yet the accident itself exposes a critical vulnerability: the distribution of high-performance vehicles to party elites without corresponding, adequate investment in road infrastructure maintenance and upgrades across the provinces.

Privilege and Peril: The Political Aftermath

Choto’s survival is a source of relief for ZANU-PF allies, who have framed the escape as a miracle. However, the incident immediately drew political scrutiny. While the swift, personalized intervention by Ministers Machakaire and Ndudzo—who ensured premium medical care and covered costs—showcases the privileges enjoyed by the political elite, it starkly contrasts with the challenges faced by ordinary citizens relying on overburdened public facilities following similar, often more severe, accidents.

As investigations proceed, the focus shifts to road safety. Zimbabwe recorded alarming numbers of road accidents last year, and this incident in Mashonaland East, a region known for disproportionate road fatalities, fuels renewed calls for systemic reforms in bus oversight, driver training, and, most critically, dedicated funding for infrastructure repair in rural areas. Choto, a former director in the Ministry of Youth, emphasized his resolve to resume his duties, including youth empowerment initiatives, once recovered, but his brush with disaster underscores the fragility of power’s privileges on the nation’s perilous roads.

Timeline (Last 48 Hours)

  • December 14, 1:00 p.m. GMT: Better Choto’s official Ford Ranger rolls multiple times near Chemhanza Primary School in Wedza after swerving to avoid a head-on collision. He is immediately taken to Wedza Rural Hospital.

  • December 15, 12:30 p.m. GMT: ZiFM Stereo News breaks the story. The report confirms Choto’s stable condition and his transfer to the better-equipped Mt. St. Mary’s Hospital. Ministers Machakaire and Ndudzo visit and offer support.

  • December 15, 2:21 p.m. GMT: Crime Watch ZW shares further details on X, noting the vehicle was part of the fleet handed out by President Mnangagwa in October.

  • December 15, 3:47 p.m. GMT: TechMagZW amplifies the news, drawing high engagement and discussion on the state of rural roads.

  • December 15, 3:56 p.m. GMT: Trevor Mzingaye (@InstigatorMzi) replies to a post, cynically calling the official vehicles “cursed.”

  • December 16, 12:38 a.m. GMT: Positive Eye Zimbabwe publishes an update on Choto’s stable status and luck, tagging the ZANU-PF official account.

Key Players

  • Better Choto: ZANU-PF Central Committee member and former youth ministry director who survived the traumatic rollover crash.

  • Emmerson Mnangagwa: President of Zimbabwe who authorized the distribution of the high-end vehicle fleet to party officials.

  • Tino Machakaire: Minister who visited Choto in the hospital and was instrumental in ensuring medical costs and care were covered.

  • Advocate Itayi Ndudzo: Minister who assisted Machakaire in coordinating Choto’s seamless recovery process.

  • Unnamed Bus Driver: Whose unexpected appearance on the road forced Choto’s defensive maneuver, triggering the accident.

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