MP Killed in Elephant Crash
Tragically, Zimbabwean opposition lawmaker Desire Moyo has passed away after the vehicle he was in collided with an elephant, as reported by local media.
The accident took place in the early hours of Friday, October 10, 2025, while Moyo and four other MPs were driving along the Bulawayo-Gweru highway, according to the state-owned broadcaster ZBC.
Tragically, he passed away on the spot, leaving his fellow lawmakers injured, as reported by the news outlet.
Heartfelt tributes are flooding in for the beloved poet, celebrated for his significant contributions to the arts, who sadly passed away just a day shy of his 46th birthday.
He was a member of the opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), and played an active role in the Zimbabwean parliament’s committee on sport, recreation, arts, and culture.
The Nkulumane Constituency in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, confirmed the heartbreaking news of his passing in a statement, expressing their “deep sorrow and profound shock.”
A candle. Image used for representative purposes only. PHOTO/Pexels Fellow CCC member and MP Discent Bajila shared more details about the tragic accident with local news site ZimLive.com. He mentioned that he had spoken to the injured MPs, who recounted the events.
“I spoke to [Madalaboy] Ndebele, who was in the front passenger seat. He recalled that they struck the elephant on its backside. After the collision, he remembers the elephant turning around and attacking the vehicle.
“He believes that this is what caused the most damage to the top right side of the vehicle and ultimately led to Moyo’s fatal injuries,” Bajila explained.
The accident occurred in an area where elephants are known to wander between their home ranges in north-west Zimbabwe.
Another lawmaker, Caston Matewu, paid tribute to Moyo, affectionately known as Moyoxide, calling him “one of the hardest working MPs in Parliament.”
“The people of Nkulumani have been robbed of this great man,” Matewu lamented.
The City of Bulawayo, under the leadership of Mayor David Coltart, stated that Moyo would be remembered as an “iconic leader … and creative” who “strived to champion the arts” both in the city and beyond.
Moyo was an award-winning poet, educator, and arts administrator “who dedicated his life to nurturing Zimbabwe’s creative sector,” according to the state-run Herald news site.
The other lawmakers involved in the crash have been taken to the hospital.
