Tongogara's family distances itself from Sukai

The family of the late Zanla commander General Josiah Magama Tongogara has dismissed Ms Sukai Tongogara's claims that she was the nationalist's first daughter.

Sukai is the general manager for investigations at the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

ZACC has claimed that she was on the run and staying at a safe house in the country.

ZACC spokesperson Dr Goodwill Shana on Wednesday confirmed that they were aware that some people were looking for Sukai.

He said Ms Tongogara was on the run from yet unnamed people.

However, Tongogara's wife Amai Angeline Kumbirai Tongogara yesterday cleared the air saying Sukai was not Gen Tongogara's daughter.

She said Sukai was the first born of Gen Tongogara's elder brother Michael.

Amai Tongogara said by claiming to be Gen Tongo's daughter Sukai was tarnishing the veteran nationalist's name and legacy.

"We are receiving a lot of phone calls across the world with people asking me why your first daughter is on the run. As you know we have revived the Josiah Magama Tongogara Foundation that was launched in 2007. People who donated to the foundation are now asking me a lot of questions.

"Some are thinking that the daughter ran way with the foundation's funds and such claims by Sukai are sending a wrong message to the world," she said.

Amai Tongogara explained that Sukai was born in Chingola, Zambia in 1974.

She said her father is Michael and her mother is called Winnie.

The parents are in Mt Darwin.

"When Sukai was born, her parents were staying in Chingola, Zambia and by that time I had already three children - Hondo, Tichafa and Bvumai.

"We went to Chingola from Lusaka together with Gen Tongo to congratulate babamukuru and amaiguru."

She said General Tongogara decided to stay with Sukai since he did not have a daughter at the time.

Amai Tongogara said the General's mother was called Sukai.

She said they later went to stay in Mozambique and Gen Tongo asked her to come with Sukai.

Sukai, according to Amai Tongogara, stayed with the family until Gen Tongogara's death. She, however, said she was not aware as to why Sukai was masquerading as General Tongogara's daughter.

She dispelled reports that she was not General Tongogara's official wife as baseless. Amai Tongogara said General Tongogara paid the bride price to her parents in Chivhu.

She said a part of the bride price was paid by the General's friend who she only identified as Mafemera while the last part was paid by Mawema.

Amai Tongogara said if need be, she could produce her marriage certificate.

She said General Tongogara's brother Michael witnessed the marriage. General Tongogara's first born with another woman, Conrad Josiah Junior said he suspected that Sukai was tarnishing the family's name to destroy the foundation they had started.

He said Sukai visited him three times at his farm intimating that he should pull out of the foundation.

Conrad said Sukai said they should form another foundation that should be named after Gen Tongogara.

He said Sukai said she had secured donors linked to MDC-T to finance that foundation. Conrad said Sukai was a member of the foundation when they started.

He said Sukai, however, withdrew at the last minute when they were about to register the foundation.

"They (Sukai and others) came to my farm three times and threatened to grab my farm. They said I should withdraw from the foundation and I refused," he said.

Gen Tongogara's daughter, Nyaradzo, said Sukai should stop associating with Gen Tongogara's name when she was working to destroy it.

"That is straight madness. Why would she want to tarnish his name if he is her father? We worked hard to start the foundation to honour our father and it is not a family foundation but a national project," she said.

Nyaradzo said at one point Sukai said the Tongogara Foundation should not be associated with the army.

She said Sukai claimed that by associating with the army, the Tongogara family was "dining with the enemy".