Museum for Solomon Mujuru

Ruzambo Farm, the place where revered liberation war hero and post-Independence Zimbabwe's first black military general Solomon Mujuru died in an inexplicable inferno, is set to be turned into a museum, The Zimbabwe Mail can reveal.

The charred remains of Mujuru, known by his liberation name Rex Nhongo, were discovered at his farm in Beatrice on August 16 2011 and the mystery surrounding his demise has remained unresolved three years on.

His death triggered differing emotions with muted cries of "political assassination".

Tshinga Dube, a family friend and one of the leading members of the Solomon Mujuru Foundation, yesterday said the late military supremo's family wanted to turn the farmhouse in which he died in into a museum in his honour.

"That is the plan. It is what they (family) wants done and we are working on it. Nothing much has been done, but that is the plan," Dube, a former liberation fighter and career soldier, told The Zimbabwe Mail.

"We would like to remember him that way commemorate his contributions to the country during the struggle (and after Independence) "

Minister in the late commander's widow, Vice President's Joice Mujuru's Office, Sylvester Nguni, could neither deny nor confirm the development.

"You need to put that in writing to the deputy president directly. It is a bit of a family issue and not government business," Nguni said.

The vice president has led annual remembrance vigils in honour of her husband.

"I really miss my husband, I miss him very much. Despite him being the father of my children, he was also a colleague of the armed struggle," the deputy president told a daily newspaper last year during one of the commemorations.

"At times, we would call each other just asking where he would be  and not that you would be suspecting anything like girlfriends, but just checking on the safety of your mate."

The late Mujuru was seen as the power behind the vice president's throne.

Asked if she believed she was weaker without her husband, she retorted:

"No, I still have the support of war veterans, I am what I am today because of the training I have received from His Excellency ( President Robert Mugabe). I have received a lot of help from my fellow comrades and from the party in general."

During the burial of war veteran Wilfred Mhanda aka Dzino Machingura, wartime commander Abel "Yonsi Mugabe" Marimo demanded an inquiry into Mujuru's death.

"It is disheartening that my commander during the war Muruju died and no national inquiry has been instituted while people have made a lot of noise about a policeman allegedly killed in Glen View," said Marimo referring to the on-going trial of MDC-T activists accused of killing police inspector Petros Mutedza in May 2011.

An inquest by Provincial Magistrate Walter Chikwanha into Mujuru's death ruled out foul play, but his family suspected assassination and at one time demanded his exhumation.

"From the evidence that was adduced no one was able to tell the court whether or not there was foul play that caused the death of the Retired General Mujuru. The Investigation Officer told the court that his conclusion was that there was no foul play.

"The police forensic scientist Mr Mutandiro told the court that he could not tell whether or not there was foul play. In other words his investigations failed to reveal anything. The forensic scientist from South Africa Police Service also failed to come out with anything,"

Chikwanha said in his report at the conclusion of the inquest, citing a compromised environment and investigations.