Harare Correspondent
HARARE — David Chapfika, Zimbabwe’s former Deputy Finance Minister and long-serving ZANU PF stalwart, died Wednesday in a horrific car accident when his vehicle plunged off a bridge and overturned in a river. He was 68.
Fatal Crash at “Pabridge RepaStondon”
The accident occurred near Chabwino at the bridge locally known as “pabridge repaStondon.”
According to eyewitness accounts, Chapfika’s Mercedes-Benz ML collided with another vehicle before careening off the bridge and landing roof-first in the water below.
“Former deputy finance minister David Chapfika has died after his vehicle drove off a bridge and landed on its roof in the river,”
A Political Heavyweight Remembered
Chapfika served as:
- Deputy Finance Minister during Zimbabwe’s economic challenges of the early 2000s
- ZANU PF Central Committee member until his death
- Mutoko South legislator for multiple terms
“Chapfika was a vocal advocate for indigenisation policies that shaped Zimbabwe’s economic landscape,” said a party insider who requested anonymity.
Death Rumors Debunked – Until Now
In a tragic twist, Chapfika had been falsely reported dead in 2021 from COVID-19 complications.
“Those rumors were proven wrong then, but today we’ve lost him for real,” lamented a family friend reached by phone.
Outpouring of Tributes Expected
As news spread, tributes began pouring in:
- ZANU PF officials pledged formal statements
- Mutoko constituents mourned their longtime representative
- Colleagues recalled his economic policy contributions
The accident site remained cordoned off Wednesday evening as authorities investigated the cause of the crash. No other fatalities were reported.
Chapfika’s death marks the loss of one of Zimbabwe’s most enduring political figures, whose career spanned decades of the nation’s tumultuous economic history.
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