Malawi president survives near-fatal car crash

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 08, 2004

Malawi president survives near-fatal car crash

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Malawi President Bakili Muluzi Wednesday night survived a near fatal road accident that left his Presidential Affairs Minister Ken Lepenga seriously hurt alongside three of the president's body guards.

Presidential press secretary Willie Zingani told Xinhua Wednesday night the president and his entourage, who were coming from a political rally in the central tobacco heartland of Kasungu, alighted from a plane and got into a vehicle convoy.

"It had earlier been slightly raining in Blantyre and one of the presidential escort vehicles slipped on the wet road as the presidential convoy arrived in heart of the city," he said.

According to Zingani, the Mercedenz Benz Limousine carrying the president rammed into the escort vehicle, causing a pile-up involving four cars.

President Muluzi was ejected out of the limousine unhurt but his body-guard and two police out-riders got seriously hurt.

One of the vehicles that was involved in the pile-up was carrying Presidential Affairs Minister Ken Lipenga, who doubles as the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF)'s official spokesman.

Lipenga, who was seriously hurt, said from his hospital bed at the elite Mwaiwathu Private Hospital Wednesday night, that it was by the grace of God that he came out from the pile-up alive.

"I can't remember anything that happened," said an audibly pained Lipenga.

Zingani, Muluzi's Press Secretary, said the president was transferred to another vehicle and driven to his official Sanjika Palace safely.

The president's limo and the four escort vehicles blocked the road for the better part of last night.

News that the president had been involved in a car crash spread like bush fire with the city of Blantyre full of contradicting information about the condition of the president. But when city residents arrived the scene of the accident the president had already been whisked away to the safety of State House.

Meanwhile, a myriad of armed police officers are guarding the scene of the accident.

It seems President Muluzi did not start the New Year on a good note. His second vice president Chakufwa Chihana narrowly survived a plane crash in the northern city of Mzuzu around Christmas. Thenhis deputy, Justin Malewezi, announced he was resigning from the ruling UDF where he was First Deputy National Chairman on New Year's Day.

Source: Xinhua

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