Zimbabwean opposition lawmaker Desire Moyo has died after the vehicle he was riding in hit an elephant, local media report.
According to state broadcaster ZBC, the accident happened in the early hours of Friday morning while Mr Moyo and four other MPs were driving along the Bulawayo-Gweru highway.
He died instantly, while his fellow lawmakers were injured, the news channel added.
Tributes are pouring in for the renowned poet, praised for his contribution to the arts, who died a day before his 46th birthday.
He was a member of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), led by Nelson Chamisa, and served on the Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Committee of the Zimbabwe Parliament.
The Nkulumane constituency in Zimbabwe's second city Bulawayo, which he represented, confirmed the news of his death in a statement, sharing “deep sadness and shock”.
Fellow CCC member and MP Discent Bajila provided more details about the horrific crash to local news site ZimLive.com. He told the publication that he had spoken to the injured MPs, who told them what had happened.
“I have spoken [Madalaboy] Ndebele, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. He remembers them hitting the elephant on the backside. After the collision, he remembers the elephant turning around and fighting the vehicle.
“This, he believes, is what caused the most damage to the upper right side of the vehicle and ultimately led to Moyo's fatal injuries,” Bajila said.
Fellow MP Caston Matewu was among those who paid tribute to Moyo, affectionately known as Moyoxide, calling him “one of the hardest working MPs in Parliament”.
“The people of Nkulumani [sic] have been deprived of this great thing [man]Mr Matewu said.
The City of Bulawayo, led by Mayor David Coltart, said Moyo would be remembered as an “iconic leader… and creative” who “strived to champion the arts” in the city and beyond.
Mr Moyo was an award-winning poet, educator and arts administrator “who dedicated his life to nurturing Zimbabwe's creative sector”, according to state news site Herald.
The other lawmakers involved in Friday's crash were taken to the hospital.
More about Zimbabwe from the BBC:
[Getty Images/BBC]
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfricaon Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at BBCAfrica
