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Crowds see Tsvangirai wife buried | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Thousands of people have turned out to see Susan Tsvangirai, wife of Zimbabwe's prime minister, buried at their rural home in Buhera. | |
She was killed in a car crash last Friday in which her husband was hurt. | She was killed in a car crash last Friday in which her husband was hurt. |
Supporters of Mr Tsvangirai's MDC party were joined by diplomats and government representatives for the ceremony. | |
Her death has triggered an unlikely political truce between Mr Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe, a BBC correspondent says. | |
Speaking at a church service for Susan Tsvangirai on Tuesday, Mr Mugabe said the "hand of God" was behind the crash. | |
One of the prime minister's six children seemed won over by Mr Mugabe's comments on Tuesday that violence should stop in Zimbabwe, the BBC's Andrew Harding says. | |
We are sincerely saddened by the death of Susan and we hope that Morgan will remain strong Robert Mugabe 'Mother of struggle' mournedMourning in pictures "Thanks, the president of the Republic of Zimbabwe, for words that changed my understanding of you," Edwin Tsvangirai said. | |
But a few kind words from Mr Mugabe are no substitute for action, our correspondent says, adding that supporters of the president are still invading farms, locking up political opponents and resisting change at every step. | But a few kind words from Mr Mugabe are no substitute for action, our correspondent says, adding that supporters of the president are still invading farms, locking up political opponents and resisting change at every step. |
Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn into office last month as part of a power-sharing arrangement intended to rescue Zimbabwe's collapsed economy. | |
The Tsvangirais, who had been married for 31 years, were travelling to Buhera from the capital Harare when their car collided with an aid lorry near Beatrice on Friday afternoon. | The Tsvangirais, who had been married for 31 years, were travelling to Buhera from the capital Harare when their car collided with an aid lorry near Beatrice on Friday afternoon. |
The crash occurred about 50km (30 miles) south of the capital. | |
The prime minister was first treated in a Harare hospital and later flown to neighbouring Botswana for rest and medical tests. | The prime minister was first treated in a Harare hospital and later flown to neighbouring Botswana for rest and medical tests. |
The driver of the lorry has been charged with culpable homicide. His lawyers says he will plead not guilty. | The driver of the lorry has been charged with culpable homicide. His lawyers says he will plead not guilty. |
The police have said the lorry side-swiped the prime minister's vehicle. | The police have said the lorry side-swiped the prime minister's vehicle. |
Mr Tsvangirai later said the crash was an accident, despite suspicions about her death because of past acrimony between him and Mr Mugabe. | |
'Life goes on' | 'Life goes on' |
On Tuesday, about 20,000 people attended a memorial service in the capital's Glamis Stadium. | |
Large portraits of Susan Tsvangirai hung around the arena, where her husband spoke last month after being sworn in. | |
Mr Tsvangirai paid tribute to his wife, telling the crowds: "Let's celebrate her existence as God's gift to me and you." | |
Despite his bereavement, the prime minister said earlier that "life had to go on". | |
In his first public comments on the crash, Mr Mugabe, 85, said during a church service before the stadium ceremony: "I plead with you to accept it, it's the hand of God." | |
Most of the new administration which shares power between Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF and Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were also present at the memorial service. | Most of the new administration which shares power between Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF and Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were also present at the memorial service. |