Mnangagwa was supposed to be in crashed chopper

The Zimbabwean government has confirmed that the helicopter which crash-landed at an airstrip in Masvingo on Sunday was initially meant to transport President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The President, who was celebrating his 82nd birthday at Great Zimbabwe Monuments on the same day, was not on board the aircraft at the time of the incident.

Information Minister Jenfan Muswere revealed during a post-Cabinet media briefing last night that the helicopter, which experienced a technical fault leading to the crash, was intended to fly President Mnangagwa. The aircraft had only crew members on board, and there were no fatalities reported.

"The helicopter was supposed to fly the President, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, but experienced a technical fault and crash-landed. The President was not on board. The helicopter had crew members only on board and there were no fatalities," Muswere said.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) is conducting an investigation into the incident, though details of the investigation have yet to be released.

This recent accident adds to a series of previous crashes involving military helicopters. Notably, in April 2021, a military helicopter crashed into a house near Harare, resulting in the deaths of three crew members and a child. Another crash occurred in April 2022 near Chibhero Agricultural College in Mhondoro, followed by a separate incident in Chitungwiza involving an Mi-35 helicopter gunship later that year. Investigations into these past incidents have also not been made public.

During the briefing, Muswere also addressed other government matters. He noted that beneficiary registration and data cleaning for the Urban Cash for Cereal Scheme were ongoing, and as of September 12, 2024, a total of 3,859.15 metric tonnes of mealie-meal/maize grain had been collected under the Emergency School Feeding Programme.

Additionally, Muswere announced that Cabinet had approved the allocation of ZWG47.2 million for a mop-up exercise for war collaborators and non-combatant cadres, with an appeals process available for those dissatisfied with the vetting outcomes.

Cabinet also considered and adopted the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill, which aims to increase revenue for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) through mandatory vehicle radio licensing. The Bill mandates ZBC to broadcast 75% local content and includes a provision for a sports channel to broadcast 50% local sports content, reflecting the universal and commercial appeal of sporting events.

The developments around the helicopter crash, along with these other government measures, highlight ongoing issues and initiatives within Zimbabwe's political and social landscape.