Desire Moyo, a 45-year-old Zimbabwean opposition lawmaker and poet, has died after the vehicle he was traveling in hit an elephant on the Bulawayo-Gweru highway early Friday morning.
Moyo, who represented the Nkulumane Constituency in Bulawayo, was part of a group of lawmakers on their way to an official engagement when the accident occurred.
He died instantly, while four other MPs were injured and rushed to the hospital.
Moyo was an award-winning poet, educator, and arts administrator known for nurturing Zimbabwe’s creative sector.
Fellow lawmaker Caston Matewu paid tribute to Moyo, affectionately known asd “Moyoxide,” saying, “The people of Nkulumani have been robbed of this great man”. Mayor David Coltart described Moyo as an “iconic leader” who championed the arts in Bulawayo and beyond.
The accident has sparked an outpouring of tributes, with condolence messages pouring in from across the nation. The City of Bulawayo expressed its “deep sorrow and profound shock” at Moyo’s passing.
Authorities have not yet released details on the cause of the accident, but it highlights the dangers of wildlife encounters on Zimbabwe’s roads.
