Mujuru allies fume over Midzi hero status

FIRED Zanu-PF veterans linked to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru have described the ruling party as vindictive and crude after it denied former Mines minister Amos Midzi hero status.

Midzi was found dead on Tuesday morning at his farm in Beatrice and police recovered poisonous substances and sleeping tablets in his car.

He will be buried at Glen Forest Cemetery outside Harare this morning since Zanu-PF refused to accord him any hero status, arguing he was just a card-carrying member after he was suspended from holding any position for his alleged links to Mujuru.

The government yesterday informed the former Zanu-PF Harare chairperson's family he would only be accorded a State-assisted funeral.

Rugare Gumbo, one of the expelled Mujuru allies now converging under the People First banner, said despite the Zanu-PF snub, Midzi remained a national hero.

He said People First was already looking at the national hero policy with a view to influence changes in the way heroes were recognised.

Zanu-PF has in the past come under attack for refusing to recognise national heroes who disagreed with Mugabe's leadership style.

Most of the luminaries denied hero status by Zanu-PF were and Zipra members.

Zanu-PF's excuse not to accord Midzi hero status appeared not to pass the credibility test as a number of people have been posthumously honoured even as they were not card-carrying party members.