HARARE – Former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa struck a pedestrian with his vehicle in Harare on Tuesday before claiming the victim was intoxicated. Mliswa, 55, was driving a Mercedes-Benz along Prince Edward Road near Harare Polytechnic when he hit the unidentified man, causing severe damage to his front windscreen, witnesses said. The pedestrian collapsed onto the tarmac and was seen bleeding from the head.
Witnesses said Mliswa, a former Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson before his expulsion from the party, made several frantic phone calls before police and an ambulance arrived. Police interviewed Mliswa at the scene and later recorded a statement at Harare Central Police Station before releasing him pending further enquiries. In a post on X on Tuesday evening, Mliswa claimed “an inebriated pedestrian unexpectedly entered the roadway and collided with my vehicle, resulting in minor injuries.” He added that he “promptly notified the authorities and requested medical assistance” and that the victim was taken to hospital for further assessment.
“Notably, he was able to walk by himself from the scene and appeared to be in stable condition,” Mliswa said. He claimed the incident highlighted “a pressing and troubling issue regarding drug and substance abuse among the youth in Zimbabwe, particularly within the central business district.” Police have not commented on the incident. ZimLive has seen no evidence to support Mliswa’s claim that the pedestrian was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.
