US Diplomat flees Zimbabwe after fatal hit-and-run...

US Diplomat flees Zimbabwe after fatal hit-and-run, sparking diplomatic row

Zim Now Writer

A diplomatic crisis is brewing between Zimbabwe and the United States following the fatal hit-and-run of an 11-year-old girl by a US embassy official.

On June 3rd, Ruvarashe Takamhanya tragically lost her life after being struck by a vehicle driven by Eric Kimpton, the US Embassy’s Second Secretary, in the Dema area near Harare. Shockingly, Kimpton left the country less than 24 hours later, leaving the grieving family without answers and sparking widespread outrage.

Despite opening a case, Zimbabwean police have been unable to make progress due to Kimpton’s absence. The US embassy has invoked diplomatic immunity for their official, shielding him from prosecution within Zimbabwe.

Government officials have expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the situation. Deputy Chief Secretary to the President, George Charamba, labeled Kimpton a “fugitive” and vowed to hold him accountable.

"No one, from whichever country or continent, is allowed to spill innocent Zimbabwean blood and get away with it," Charamba stated.

The case has drawn parallels to a similar incident in Singapore involving a Romanian diplomat who fled the country after a fatal hit-and-run. While diplomatic immunity prevented his immediate arrest, he was eventually convicted in his home country after his diplomatic status was revoked.

Zimbabwe now faces the difficult task of navigating international law to bring Kimpton to justice. Options include seeking a waiver of diplomatic immunity from the US government or declaring him persona non grata.