Mujuru disowns Solomon's son

FORMER Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru has disowned her late husband General Solomon Mujuru's son as the fight for the national hero's estate, believed to be running into billions of dollars, gets nasty.

Dr Mujuru is up in arms with Tendai Mujuru whom she wants to prove that he is General Mujuru's blood.

Reliable sources told The Herald that the demand by Dr Mujuru is despite the fact that she has taken care of Tendai since the age of two.

All hell broke loose when General Mujuru died in an inferno at his Beatrice farm house on August 16, 2011.

Through her lawyers, Dr Mujuru wrote to Tendai's lawyers on January 19, 2015 demanding that he proves that he is Gen Mujuru's son.

"We advise that our client does not acknowledge the alleged paternity of Tendai Mujuru," reads the letter.

This was after Tendai's lawyers had written to Dr Mujuru on December 8, 2014 demanding that she releases Gen Mujuru's Will if she was in possession of the document.

"Your client is free to take steps to establish such paternity and, should your client be so advised, they are free to institute any legal proceedings in connection with what they allege are their rights," further reads Mujuru's letter.

The Herald is reliably informed that when General Mujuru was alive, Tendai stayed at a family property — Plot Number 72 Lurna Road in Borrowdale.

He would also stay with Gen Mujuru at the Beatrice Farm.

It is a 100-hectare plot on which General Mujuru had hundreds of cattle.

"A week after Gen Mujuru's funeral, riot police were sent to banish Tendai from the property," said a source.

Dr Mujuru was still Vice President then.

While Dr Mujuru doubts Tendai's paternity, his birth certificate indicates that he is the son of General Mujuru.

At his funeral, Tendai was paraded together with other children as General Mujuru's son.

The Herald is also reliably informed that an executor is likely to be appointed this week to administer General Mujuru's vast business empire.

He was ranked among the richest Zimbabweans with business interests cutting across almost all sectors of the economy from diamonds to Chrome.

General Mujuru's will has disappeared, forcing Tendai to seek legal action after the national hero's widow failed to register his estate as required by law.

According to the Administration of Estate Act Chapter 601 Section 5, the estate should have been registered within 14 days of Gen Mujuru's death.

Dr Mujuru was supposed to have registered the Estate in her capacity as the closest person to the deceased, although the law does not bar intended beneficiaries from doing so.

Through his lawyers, Tendai wrote to Dr Mujuru demanding that she releases Gen Mujuru's will if she is in possession of the document.

In a letter dated December 8, 2014 titled "Estate late Solomon Tapfumaneyi Ruzambu Mujuru", the lawyers wrote: "We refer to the above matter and advise that we act on behalf of Mr Tendai Mujuru, kindly note our interest.

"Our client is a biological child to the late Solomon Mujuru. Our client has registered the estate of the late Solomon Mujuru under DR19/19/14. The estate had not been registered despite the time lapse since death."

"We have been instructed to request from you a copy of the will of the late Solomon Mujuru if same is in your custody.

"Our instructions are that you may have a copy and if you could furnish it we would be most obliged.

"The Will is necessary for estate administration. We look forward to your response."

Tendai's lawyers threatened to convene a meeting and appoint an executor if Dr Mujuru does not co-operate.

"If we do not hear from you within seven days then our client will proceed to call for an edict meeting for the appointment of an executor."