A helicopter meant to pick up President Emmerson Mnangagwa crashed shortly after taking off at Masvingo Airport. The helicopter was supposed to fly the President back to Harare from Bikita, where he had gone after celebrating his 82nd birthday. The helicopter crashed due to technical problems, but luckily, no one died.
President Mnangagwa was in Masvingo for his birthday celebration. He was born on September 15, 1942, in Zvishavane. The event also marked the launch of a new national day called Munhumutapa Day. This new holiday was created to honor the President and will be celebrated every year. The launch took place at Great Zimbabwe Monuments, which is located 30 kilometers from Masvingo town.
After the event, the helicopter took off from Masvingo Airport. The airport is small and usually only handles military or chartered flights. The helicopter had only the crew members on board, not the President or other senior officials. Of the three crew members, one was injured, but there were no serious injuries or deaths.
Some media outlets reported that the Vice-Presidents were also in the helicopter, but this was not true. Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga did not attend the birthday celebrations or the launch of Munhumutapa Day. Vice-President Kembo Mohadi attended the event but was not on the helicopter.
A source explained that there were actually two helicopters. One of them developed a technical failure when it took off and crashed to the ground. The source said, “Upon take-off, the presidential helicopter suddenly developed a technical failure and crashed to the ground, with a big impact. There were three crew members, and one was injured. There were no fatalities.”
After the celebrations, President Mnangagwa had gone to Bikita for a visit. Bikita is important to the President because his father, Mafidi, is buried there. Bikita is also said to be the President’s original home, although some stories suggest he comes from somewhere else before his family moved to Zvishavane.
This is not the first time one of President Mnangagwa’s helicopters has experienced problems. In August 2021, another one of his helicopters had to make an emergency landing due to technical issues. That time, the helicopter was flying from the President’s Precabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe, and had to land about 60 kilometers southwest of Harare. It landed on a farm owned by a Ministry of Finance official. After that incident, there was a major overhaul of the President’s security.
Back then, a journalist who reported the story got into serious trouble with state security agents. The sources who gave the information were also punished. This time, the media and communication team for President Mnangagwa was asked to comment on the helicopter crash, but there was no response by last night.
It is a relief that no one died in the crash, but the incident raises questions about the safety of the equipment used to transport the President. Technical failures seem to be happening too often, and that is a big concern for the safety of the President and other high-ranking officials.
For now, people in Zimbabwe will continue to celebrate Munhumutapa Day, which will likely become a significant part of the country’s culture. However, the recent helicopter crash may lead to more discussions about the security and safety measures taken for Zimbabwe’s top leaders.
The launch of Munhumutapa Day is a historic moment, and the President’s birthday is always a big event. Even though there was a helicopter crash, it seems the celebrations will continue, and the President will stay safe as he continues his work for the nation.