State Media – Children of the late General Solomon Mujuru are wallowing in poverty amid revelations that Dr Joice Mujuru, the surviving spouse and leader of Zimbabwe People First, is allegedly frustrating the execution of the national hero’s estate believed to be running into millions of dollars.
Thirteen children are named as beneficiaries of Gen Mujuru’s estate. Gen Mujuru died in an inferno at his Beatrice farmhouse on August 16, 2011. 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.
Lawyers representing some of Gen Mujuru’s children have since written to the executor of the estate Mr Stanley Mufara, highlighting how their clients were living in abject poverty yet Gen Mujuru was a wealthy businessman with interests cutting across various sectors of the economy.
Reads one of the letters dated July 07, 2016: “We are instructed by our clients to enquire as to the status of the estate. Kindly be advised that our clients are now living as destitute and currently they are in debt because of the life they had been exposed (to) by their father, the deceased.”
The lawyers added that Dr Mujuru was deliberately frustrating the administration of the estate.
“It is apparent that the reluctance and attitude of the surviving spouse (Dr Mujuru) is only meant to frustrate the whole estate administration. We are instructed to enquire as to when really our clients should expect to benefit from their father’s estate,” reads the letter from Mutuso, Taruvinga and Mhiribidi Associates on behalf of the children to Mr Mufara.
The lawyers also wrote to the Master of the High Court yesterday accusing Dr Mujuru of being a major stumbling in the administration of Gen Mujuru’s estate.
“We are instructed by our clients to approach your office. Our clients would want to know whether the estate will come to any finality as it seems there is no progress whatsoever towards finalisation.
“The estate was later registered in 2014 after the late Solomon Mujuru died in 2011. Our clients further ask if there is anything you can do on their situation.
“Communication by the executor show that he is not able to execute his duties because of continued resistance by the surviving spouse,” wrote the lawyers.
They proposed a meeting with the Master of the High Court to pave the way forward.
“Our clients being bonafide beneficiaries have got a legitimate expectation on their father’s estate,” added the lawyers.
Dr Mujuru has been reluctant to ensure administration of the estate and at some point disowned some of Gen Mujuru’s children demanding paternity tests. Gen Mujuru had a 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.
Gen Mujuru’s will also disappeared under controversial circumstances.
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.-state media