President Mugabe consoles Mujuru family
Posted by By Our reporter at 16 August, at 20 : 35 PM
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has expressed shock and sorrow at the unexpected death of one of the most trusted veteran freedom fighters and soldiers, Retired General Solomon Tapfumanei Mujuru.
The President visited One Commando Barracks in Harare where he conveyed his condolences to Vice President Joice Mujuru, wife to the late military strategist, who died when a fire engulfed his farm house in Beatrice last night.
Addressing scores of people among them government ministers, service chiefs, friends and relatives of the late General Mujuru, who converged at the barracks, President Mugabe said the death is shocking and devastating as the late was burnt beyond recognition.
“I have never seen a person die in such a horrific manner, we are all shocked,” said President Mugabe.
He said it is unfortunate that General Mujuru met his death through such an unfortunate circumstance yet one would have expected him to die long back by a bullet.
President Mugabe later chronicled General Mujuru’s liberation history up to the time of independence and described him as one of the liberation’s true commanders, saying the late never betrayed the revolution.
“I knew him in 1976 outside the country. He was one of those in the first line of command during the war of liberation and was so influential in the organisation of the struggle,” the President added.
The President also said the late General Mujuru, who was affectionately known as Cde Rex Nhongo and the late generals; Josiah Magama Tongogara, Vitalis Gava Zvinavashe and Josiah Tungamirai, were part of a wartime command which moulded thousands of young men and women who crossed the borders to Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania in a successful bid to dismantle the racist settler colonial dispensation.
In this moment of deep grief, President Mugabe requested the Mujuru family to derive some comfort from the great deeds of the late departed hero, which earned him profound respect and a special place in the history of Zimbabwe.
CONDOLENCES POUR IN
In a condolence message to Vice President Mujuru, children, the Mujuru family and the nation, the Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Rugare Gumbo said the country has lost a rare breed of a cadre, who was one of the pioneers of the armed struggle against colonial oppression.
He said the late Retired General Mujuru was a strategic thinker, who appreciated the political, economic and social dynamics of Zimbabwe and was always ready to offer possible solutions to such problems.
Zanu-PF National Chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo likened General Mujuru’s death to a political tsunami that has shaken the whole nation.
“We have worked together for a very long time and his death is indeed a great loss to the nation,” said Moyo.
Former Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Charles Utete said he knew Retired General Mujuru as a dedicated son of the soil who sacrificed his life to liberate the country.
Meanwhile, Mashonaland East Province has recommended that the late General Mujuru be declared a national hero.
The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association (ZILIWACO) also sent a message of condolences to the Mujuru family and the entire nation following the death of a revolutionary icon.
The association’s Secretary for Information and Publicity, Shine Chakanyuka described the late Retired Mujuru as an epitome of courage and sacrifice for the liberation of Zimbabwe.
Indeed the passing on of Retired General Mujuru shook off the whole nation and from beyond the country’s borders, the Zimbabwean delegation to Brazil says it is with the Mujuru family and the nation at large in mourning the retired general.
Delivering the condolence message, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Walter Mzembi said the delegation has learnt with great shock and profound sadness on the unexpected passing on of Retired General Mujuru.
“We extend our utmost sincere and heartfelt condolences to Mai Mujuru, her children, the Zanu-PF party and the entire nation at large.
“May the Mujuru family take comfort and solace in the knowledge that our thoughts and prayers are with them at this most trying and difficult time,” said Mzembi.
Back home, scores of people, including First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe, government ministers and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Dr Gideon Gono converged at the Mujuru homestead in Chisipite, Harare to convey their condolences.
At his Ruzambu farm in Beatrice, scores of people converged by mid-morning to honour the liberation war hero.
Workers at farm described Retired General Mujuru’s death as a big blow not only to the farming operations but to their daily lives as well.
Workers at the farm of the late general were in a sombre mood trying to come to terms with the death of a person they described as a fatherly figure.
“Cde Mujuru was like a father to us. He had even allocated 3 hectares of land to each us, the farm workers and what is more painful about his death is that he had planned to double his tobacco hectarage this season,” said one of the workers, Mr Isdore Makusha, who is in charge of the tobacco crop at the farm.
Retired General Mujuru died yesterday in a fire accident at his farm house in Beatrice and police forensics are still investigating the cause of the fire which engulfed the entire house.
Senior Government officials attended the farm.
Also present were Co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi; Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu; Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere; Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga; Air Force Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri, Director General of the Central Intelligence Organisation Retired Major General Happyton Bonyongwe; ZanuPF national spokesperson Rugare Gumbo; and Zanu-PF Mashonaland East provincial chairman Ray Kaukonde, among others.
Labels: ARMED FORCES, JOYCE MUJURU, ROBERT MUGABE
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Zanu-PF, MDC in historic march
By Sydney Kawadza
VICE PRESIDENT Joice Mujuru and Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe yesterday exchanged party regalia to send a message to errant party supporters who have been beating each other up that it is time for co-existence, as they led women across the political divide in a march to commemorate International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day, which is officially observed on March 8 annually, is a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women.
It was, thus, fitting that the two most powerful women in Zimbabwean politics today led the charge in yesterday’s belated observance of the day.
Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC supporters, clad in their respective party regalia, marched side by side, the first such show of solidarity since the launch of the MDC on September 11, 1999, and a major boost for the inclusive Government that is still in its infancy.
The marchers, who began their procession at Fourth Street bus terminus en route to the City Sports Centre, were joined by members of the judiciary, lawyers, the business community, academics, civic leaders, diplomats, soldiers, policewomen and churches at various points along the way.
The main celebrations — held at the City Sports Centre under the theme "Sharing and Caring to End Violence against Women and Girls" — were preceded by the observance of a minute of silence in memory of Mrs Susan Tsvangirai, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s wife who died in a car accident two weeks ago.
Addressing the capacity crowd, Vice President Mujuru urged Zimbabweans to spread the message of sharing, caring, forgiveness and tolerance in the spirit of unity across party lines.
"I particularly call upon the leadership of all political parties in Zimbabwe to direct their supporters to immediately stop the violence that continues to retard progress in cementing and consolidating the efforts of our inclusive Government.
"Violence of whatever form should never be tolerated. It is wrong, unacceptable, inexcusable and it must stop. The truth is that collectively we can stop the violence," she said.
VP Mujuru challenged Zimbabweans, male or female, to act in a manner that promotes tolerance, peace and harmony within the family and between families.
"That way, a peaceful society will begin to evolve," she said.
She said despite the fact that Zimbabweans are very peaceful and peace-loving people, the country continues to be rocked by isolated and frequent incidents of violence.
"This has provided our enemies with ammunition for negative publicity. The new political dispensation will no doubt contribute positively towards reduction of politically motivated violence," she said.
VP Mujuru said political and gender-based violence creates a bad image for the nation and retards development.
She said poverty was also linked to gender-based violence, adding that there was also need for the protection of the girl child who is exposed to a harsh economic environment that has made her vulnerable to sexual exploitation and HIV and Aids.
"It is wrong for violence to be perpetrated against women and it is worse for the same to be perpetrated against children.
"Let us all work together, women and men, to ensure that we protect girls in the manner that we would protect our own biological children. We cannot afford to destroy our future.
"SaAmai ndinoda kupedza ndichiti ngatichishandira pamwe, takasungana samadzimai navasikana. Ngatitsiureyi vana vedu nyaya yemhirizhonga ichipera muZimbabwe. Tose tikapa chisungo ichi, Mwari vachatibatsira tikakunda," she said.
Deputy Prime Minister Khupe said Zimbabweans were working together to rebuild the country.
She reiterated the call for an immediate stop of politically motivated violence for the development of the country.
"A future without violence brings economic prosperity, improved education and health services, but with violence all these cannot be developed," she said.
Deputy PM Khupe urged women to lead in moving the country forward in a peaceful manner, urging youths to have respect and discipline.
"We must not fight amongst each other so that we build the nation together. Violence is abnormal, whether it is in the family, community or countrywide. Zvakwana, sokwanele, hatidi kurwisana. Violence, violence, violence must stop," she said.
Security forces in Zimbabwe, she said, should protect the people and attend to cases reported to them.
"The country’s political leadership signed the Global Political Agreement and we are bound by the letter and spirit of the agreement.
"Let us develop a culture of respect and build bridges to find ways to work together, find social ways to settle disputes and share efforts to create a violence-free Zimbabwe," she said.
The political leadership from Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC, joined by Mrs Jacqueline Mutambara, Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s wife, shared the podium to address the women clad in various political party regalia.
Among the leaders were Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Olivia Muchena, her deputy Evelyn Masaiti, Ministers of State Sekai Holland and Flora Bhuka, Public Works Minister Theresa Makone and deputy ministers Tracy Mutinhiri (Labour and Social Welfare) and Jessie Majome (Justice and Legal Affairs).
Labels: JOYCE MUJURU, MDC, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, ZANU-PF
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Mujuru urges unity among politicians
Ranganai Chidemo
Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:11:00 +0000
VICE-PRESIDENT Joice Mujuru has urged politicians across the political divide to desist from attacking each other and
instead explain to the people what they can do for them in this time of unprecedented economic crisis.
Addressing thousands of people in Mazowe on Sunday, the Vice President said that politicians had a role to play in ending the current problems bedevilling the country and in ensuring that the country remains united.
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Mujuru criticised politicians who were trying to divide the ruling party saying the factionalism that is written and discussed in many circles is a figment of their imagination.
“Zanu PF is a united party and those who try to divide the party have to understand the implications of their actions on the whole country,” said Mujuru adding that
“the supposed divisions in Zanu PF are being encouraged by those who do not understand the history and struggles of the party.”Mujuru said
many people had not voted for the ruling party in the March elections because of the economic problems they were facing as a result of the
sanctions encouraged by the Movement for Democratic Change party.
The VP also took a swipe at those members of the ruling party who betrayed it at “the last minute” saying at a time when the party was supposed to be united in fighting a hostile enemy many people had deserted the party. She said
the party was restructuring and would come out stronger than before.“We are undergoing a restructuring exercise in the party and we will prevail.
Those who abandoned the party at the last minute should never call themselves revolutionaries.”“We are aware of all those people who wish we were divided. We go through our own challenges as a party, we have always had challenges, but we always prevail,” added Mujuru.
The VP who is also Member of Assembly for Mount Darwin said she was aware that many people who politicizing food aid distribution – a move not encouraged by the ruling party and a move aimed at discrediting President Robert Mugabe.
“We are aware of the politicization of food aid and as a government we will never encourage such a move. Those who engage in such politicization are only trying to market themselves at the expense of the party and President Mugabe,” said Mujuru.
“As a Government we say to those politician who are trying to market themselves using food aid, this is unacceptable. Politicians should desist from marketing themselves in such a manner,” she added.
Mujuru said she was confident that a deal reached between the ruling Zanu PF party and the opposition MDCs is a step in the right direction in taking Zimbabwe out of its current problems and said that Zimbabweans were resilient people who fought hard the effects of the sanctions imposed on the country by the West.
VP Mujuru also paid tribute to the First Lady, Grace Mugabe whom she toured the region with and commended her for her efforts in donating agricultural implements in the region and her visits across the country meeting the people.
The First Lady donated hundred tones of maize and farming equipment and implements under the Government’s farm mechanization programme.
Labels: JOYCE MUJURU
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Zimbabwean police hunt financial crimes cover-up MP
PURSUIT: RBZ governor Gideon Gono has been investigating abuse of a loan facility by MP
By Lebo Nkatazo
Last updated: 12/28/2007 15:25:48
A ZIMBABWEAN MP who blocked the central bank governor’s request to go before a parliamentary committee and publicly name senior government officials involved in economic crimes is now being hunted by police probing violations of exchange control regulations. Guruve North MP David Butau, seen as a front for Vice President Joice Mujuru’s vast business empire, has refused to heed a police appeal since Monday to turn himself in for questioning.
"It is now apparent that Butau is wilfully evading the police,” police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said.
Butau, who chairs the parliamentary portfolio committee on budget and finance, had sent some text messages to investigating officers, but Bvudzijena would not disclose the contents of the texts.
Butau is a director of Dande Holdings, a company linked to Mujuru. Dande Holdings -- which runs a poultry project -- took a $122 billion loan from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) under the Agriculture Sector Productivity Enhancement Facility -- money which authorities now believe was traded on the thriving black market to buy scarce foreign currency.
It remains unclear if the loan is connected to the latest police enquiry.
Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono recently fingered some senior Zanu PF party and government officials as "cash barons" holding onto large sums of the local currency, precipitating nationwide cash shortages.
Thousands of people queued up for days outside Zimbabwe’s banks leading up to Christmas trying to make withdrawals. Gono said the central bank released Z$67 trillion at the start of the year, but some Z$65 trillion of that money could not be accounted for.
When Gono threw a challenge to Butau’s committee to invite him so that he could publicly name corrupt officials, Butau said his committee was “in no hurry” to invite him.
Butau’s intervention put him on a collision course with other members of the committee, notably Glen Norah MP Priscilla Misihairabwi (MDC), who said in a letter to a local weekly paper that “the parliamentary committee on finance and budget, with all the immunity and privileges granted to its witnesses, is indeed the rightful platform for such disclosures to be made”.
She added: “The MDC parliamentary caucus calls on the finance and budget committee to urgently convene a meeting and invite the governor to name these cash barons. It is criminal that those who are in the employ of the state, charged with the duty to service the people, can be so cruel to inflict such intense suffering on the very people they were entrusted to service.
“We specifically call upon the chairperson of the parliamentary finance and budget committee, Hon David Butau MP to immediately convene the committee and invite the governor.”
Labels: CORRUPTION, GIDEON GONO, JOYCE MUJURU, ZIMBABWE
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There's no going back in Zim, declares Mujuru
By Larry Moonze in Havana, Cuba
Friday September 14, 2007 [04:00]
THERE is no going back in Zimbabwe, Vice-President Joyce Mujuru (above) has declared. Speaking when she paid a courtesy call on Cuban foreign affairs minister Felipe Perez Roque on Wednesday, Vice-President Mujuru said as much as the blockade against Zimbabwe was tightening, it was a blessing in disguise because development "is now coming to Zimbabwe."
"Necessity is a mother of invention," Vice-President Mujuru said. "What is happening in Zimbabwe is a result of our demand for our right to our land. There is no going back because land is part of us. Without land we are doomed, there would be no way to put forth the future of the country without the right to land. The women and men of our country are fully behind President Robert Mugabe."
She said in the recent elections, the West, which had already imposed sanctions on Harare thought the ruling ZANU-PF would lose.
"But we won overwhelmingly much to the discomfort of the enemy," Vice-President Mujuru said. She said the most encouraging thing was that the SADC region and the rest of the African Union countries have been on the side of Zimbabwe ever since the imposition of sanctions.
"This is very good for Africa, we must stand in unity," Vice-President Mujuru said. She said she was not surprised that Cuba was well informed about what was going on in Zimbabwe since the island was the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement and also had very warm relations with Harare.
Vice-President Mujuru said right now the Zimbabwean Parliament was debating bill number 18 aimed at combining all elections in that country. She said the ZANU-PF had discovered that Zimbabwe spent productive time running different elections.
Vice-President Mujuru said as of March 2008, presidential, parliamentary, senate and local government elections would be held together. She said in December this year, the ZANU-PF would hold a congress to explain the purposes of that bill to the electorate. Vice-President Mujuru said Zimbabwe would always support Cuba, which is also living under historical, financial and economic sanctions imposed by the US.
She said Zimbabwe understood the position of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
"We wish President Fidel good health," Vice-President Mujuru said.
She also expressed her sadness on the death of Raul Castro's wife, Vilma.
"Sister Vilma was the mother of the nation," Vice-President Mujuru said.
"But that is what life is. We live today and die tomorrow."
Vice-President Mujuru tabled before Cuba issues regarding assistance in education and malaria programmes. She said Zimbabwe was impressed with the successes Cuba was recording in education and health sectors and that she was happy that the island was ready to share and transfer technology to Zimbabwe.
Vice-President Mujuru said Zimbabwe was battling with problems of animal vaccines and malaria. Cuban foreign minister Perez Roque said Cuba admired and fully supported Zimbabwe's resilience against the unjustifiable sanctions.
He said what was happening in Zimbabwe was blackmail by the West.
"Zimbabwe should not, it should never be in isolation," Perez Roque said.
"Cuba is in support of Zimbabwe in whatever measures your country feel are right to improve the lives of the people and particularly the farmers who were exploited for centuries. We have profound sense of admiration of the endurance of the people of Zimbabwe."
He said Cuba was happy that the African Union was in support of Zimbabwe's struggle for its rights.
Perez Roque said Zimbabwe's endurance against the harsh sanctions was a symbol of a fight for its independence and dignity of Africa.
He said Cuba as chair of the Non-Aligned Movement was within the rights to offer full support to the government and people of Zimbabwe against the prolonged sanctions.
"We are going to renew cooperation in all areas including training of staff, health and by raising international awareness of injustices being committed against Zimbabwe," Perez Roque said.
"We reject these efforts that violate international law and the UN Charter and the purposes and principles defended by the Non-Aligned Movement."
He said Cuba was aware that drought in Zimbabwe in the last farming season had aggravated the situation on the ground.
Labels: CUBA, JOYCE MUJURU, NEOCOLONIALISM, ZIMBABWE
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