Mujuru family in estate war
Moses Matenga
HARARE – Seven children sired out of wedlock by the late decorated army commander Solomon Mujuru are reportedly living in abject poverty with only four, sired with the National People’s Party leader Joice Mujuru reportedly enjoying his multi-billion dollar empire, it has emerged.
Mujuru died in August 2011 at his Ruzambo farm in Beatrice in an inferno leaving behind several children.
It emerged that out of the children only those sired with Joice were benefitting, leaving the rest fighting a legal battle to benefit from their father’s wealth.
A close family source said they were declaring war on the NPP leader, threatening to further expose her alleged cruelty.
“She wants to stop the process for the late General Mujuru estate. She has been enjoying my father’s money with only four children while eight of my father’s children are suffering,” the source said.
“When I say suffering, I mean suffering big time. We have to fight for our siblings,” the source added.
Meetings have been held at the Master’s office since last week to try and iron out the issues amid accusations and counter accusations.
She is said to be pushing to sell one property in Hogerty Hill to pay more than a million dollars for compensation for Ruzambo farm that was grabbed from Guy Watson Smith during the land reform programme.
Of the children, one is in the United States, one in South Africa, two in London and the rest in Zimbabwe.
One of Mujuru’s wives and mother of the London based children, Simbiso Chisirimunhu, died in the United Kingdom in 2012 at the age of 38.
The source said the children needed to be awarded what belongs to them as their income suffered a knock when their stepmother was dismissed from Zanu PF in 2014, a move that left them also affected in their business and social networks.
“We were affected politically when she was fired from Zanu PF and government. No one wanted to be associated with us then so it became a challenge. One is ex-army and never got back, Tendai is at the farm that is also listed for sale and it will be in their best interest to get something from their father’s estate.”
Mujuru was reportedly one of the richest people in Zimbabwe when he died with interests in mining, agriculture and other ventures.