PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA’S CHOPPER CRASHES ON HIS BIRTHDAY BUT HE ESCAPES

A helicopter that was supposed to pick up President Emmerson Mnangagwa from Bikita crashed on his 82nd birthday, just moments after take-off. The crash happened at Masvingo Airport shortly after the Munhumutapa Day launch event at the Great Zimbabwe Monuments. Luckily, Mnangagwa was not inside the helicopter. Only crew members were on board, and one of them was injured. No one died.

The president had travelled to Bikita earlier in the day. This is believed to be the place where his father, Mafidi Mnangagwa, is buried. Some people say his family originally came from there before moving to Mapanzure in Zvishavane. There are different stories about his roots, but Bikita is one of the most mentioned.

September 15 is President Mnangagwa’s birthday. He was born in 1942 in Zvishavane. This year, his birthday was celebrated with the official launch of Munhumutapa Day at the Great Zimbabwe Monuments, near Masvingo. This new public holiday is meant to honor Zimbabwe’s ancient royal past and also ties into Mnangagwa’s legacy. It will now be held every year.

After the celebrations, a helicopter was supposed to take Mnangagwa back to Harare. But just after take-off at Masvingo Airport, the helicopter crashed. The crash was described as having a “big impact.” Three crew members were on board. One of them was hurt, but all survived.

Early reports wrongly said that Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi were on board. This was not true. In fact, Chiwenga was not even at the Munhumutapa Day event. Mohadi was there, but he was not in the helicopter. The story caused confusion until officials close to the event confirmed the facts.

According to one source who spoke to The NewsHawks, there were actually two helicopters involved. One was the presidential helicopter. The one that crashed was the one that had just taken off. It had a serious technical problem in the air and came crashing down.

This is not the first time a helicopter linked to Mnangagwa has had issues. Back in August 2021, a chopper carrying the president had to make an emergency landing near Harare. That helicopter was flying from his farm in Kwekwe when it developed problems. It landed safely on a farm owned by a Finance Ministry official. After that scare, security teams reportedly changed how the president’s air travel was handled.

The 2021 incident caused trouble for a journalist who broke the story. Security agents visited him and made him flee his home. Some of his sources inside the government were also punished. That response made many fear reporting on such matters.

However, this time, things seem calmer. Even though the crash just happened, there has been no public response from the president’s media team. Journalists have asked for comment but have not received any reply yet.

Today’s helicopter crash reminds us how quickly things can change. A day that was supposed to be full of joy and celebration almost ended in tragedy. The helicopter crashed only a short distance away from Masvingo town, at an airport used by small planes and the military.

The injured crew member is expected to recover, but the crash raises questions about the safety of helicopters used for transporting the president. More investigations will likely follow.

As Zimbabwe begins to mark Munhumutapa Day every year, the 2024 launch will always be remembered for the accident that could have taken the president’s life. His birthday, a new national holiday, and a near-miss accident have all become linked in one dramatic day.

What should have been a day of pride and celebration is now also a reminder of how close Zimbabwe came to mourning its leader.