JOEL Mujuru, elder brother of the late Retired General Solomon Mujuru, yesterday dismissed reports that his younger brother sired about 90 children with different women, saying the family was only aware of nine children from three wives including the former Vice-President Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru.
Joel described all the other women and children who were now emerging from the woods seeking to claim a stake in the late army commander and national hero's estate as "street kids and gold diggers" seeking to reap where they did not sow.
Mujuru died mysteriously in an inferno at his Beatrice farm in 2011. His multi-million-dollar estate has not yet been distributed and is currently at the centre of a fierce fight with several beneficiaries and claimants, among them Joice and her five children, lining up for a share of the spoils.
His official wives, according to Joel, were Joice, the late Simbiso — who had two children — and another woman he only identified as "Maidei's mother".
His vast business empire included mining and farming ventures.
But Joel said what was disturbing and suspicious was that several children were now surfacing at the courts before they introduced themselves to him, the only known surviving elder brother of the deceased.
"The rest who now claim to be Solomon's children are street kids who are after his wealth," Joel said.
"What kind of children are they who appear at the courts without even coming to see their father's relatives? We like Solomon's children, but those we don't know should go for paternity tests first before we can accept them. Where were they when Solomon was still alive?"
The family is currently embroiled in a war over the estate, with many children surfacing at the High Court to claim their share of the vast empire amid reports that the former Vice-President had hidden her late husband's will to deny other children born out of wedlock their share of the inheritance.
When the family met at the High Court recently to choose an executor, about 20 children were reportedly named as the late General's children.
Some of them claimed that the former VP had changed ownership of some properties and demanded an audit of "their" father's estate before it was distributed.
But Joel said his brother's estate was still intact.
"If they want to know about Solomon's estate, they should ask us. They should only go to the courts if there is a dispute. I am not supporting Teurai, but we cannot ignore her, she is Solomon's wife. After all, as the Mujuru family, we don't want anything from Solomon's estate. It should be shared by his wives and children. But those that emerge now should go for paternity tests first," Joel said.
He added: "I want everyone — including Teurai — to know that we don't need anything from Solomon's estate. If Teurai also thinks that we want her husband's wealth, she is mistaken."
Meanwhile, former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said the Zanu PF national disciplinary committee's report which implicated the late General Mujuru in a plot with his wife Joice to oust President Robert Mugabe as way back as 2004 was a desperate attempt to besmirchthe former VP.
Mujuru was recalled from her VP post and Zanu PF position in December, and summarily expelled from the party last week for allegedly plotting to kill Mugabe.
"For them to now say the late General was plotting to kill the President, and yet they buried him at the National Heroes' Acre, shows a desperate attempt to find fault in his wife. Why were they quiet all along and say it only when he is dead and punish his wife for that?" Gumbo queried.
Gumbo, Mujuru and former Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa were expelled from the party for allegedly plotting against Mugabe.
Written by Newsday
Joel described all the other women and children who were now emerging from the woods seeking to claim a stake in the late army commander and national hero's estate as "street kids and gold diggers" seeking to reap where they did not sow.
Mujuru died mysteriously in an inferno at his Beatrice farm in 2011. His multi-million-dollar estate has not yet been distributed and is currently at the centre of a fierce fight with several beneficiaries and claimants, among them Joice and her five children, lining up for a share of the spoils.
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| Latest on General Solomon Mujuru's 90 children with different women. |
His vast business empire included mining and farming ventures.
But Joel said what was disturbing and suspicious was that several children were now surfacing at the courts before they introduced themselves to him, the only known surviving elder brother of the deceased.
"The rest who now claim to be Solomon's children are street kids who are after his wealth," Joel said.
"What kind of children are they who appear at the courts without even coming to see their father's relatives? We like Solomon's children, but those we don't know should go for paternity tests first before we can accept them. Where were they when Solomon was still alive?"
The family is currently embroiled in a war over the estate, with many children surfacing at the High Court to claim their share of the vast empire amid reports that the former Vice-President had hidden her late husband's will to deny other children born out of wedlock their share of the inheritance.
When the family met at the High Court recently to choose an executor, about 20 children were reportedly named as the late General's children.
Some of them claimed that the former VP had changed ownership of some properties and demanded an audit of "their" father's estate before it was distributed.
But Joel said his brother's estate was still intact.
"If they want to know about Solomon's estate, they should ask us. They should only go to the courts if there is a dispute. I am not supporting Teurai, but we cannot ignore her, she is Solomon's wife. After all, as the Mujuru family, we don't want anything from Solomon's estate. It should be shared by his wives and children. But those that emerge now should go for paternity tests first," Joel said.
He added: "I want everyone — including Teurai — to know that we don't need anything from Solomon's estate. If Teurai also thinks that we want her husband's wealth, she is mistaken."
Meanwhile, former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said the Zanu PF national disciplinary committee's report which implicated the late General Mujuru in a plot with his wife Joice to oust President Robert Mugabe as way back as 2004 was a desperate attempt to besmirchthe former VP.
Mujuru was recalled from her VP post and Zanu PF position in December, and summarily expelled from the party last week for allegedly plotting to kill Mugabe.
"For them to now say the late General was plotting to kill the President, and yet they buried him at the National Heroes' Acre, shows a desperate attempt to find fault in his wife. Why were they quiet all along and say it only when he is dead and punish his wife for that?" Gumbo queried.
Gumbo, Mujuru and former Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa were expelled from the party for allegedly plotting against Mugabe.
Written by Newsday
