VICE President Joice Mujuru says the mystery of her husband’s death could be solved by piecing together his final six hours before he was found burnt to death on his farm in Beatrice in the early hours of August 16.
Revealing for the first time her suspicions of foul play, the Vice President said Rtd General Solomon Mujuru could have easily escaped the inferno through his bedroom window.
The liberation war hero and former army commander, who was aged 62, was buried at the National Heroes’ Acre last Saturday.
“The problem is we just hear its fire. But what happened from 8.30PM to when the fire was seen? That’s where the story is,” Mujuru said on Tuesday while meeting members of the women’s national football team who visited her Chisipite home.
“I was called just after 2AM and told that the house is on fire. The roof had collapsed, but that doesn’t happen instantly. It means the fire had started around that time when he got home on Monday night. That should be the time when people should start, you know, whatever they want to look at because we can’t just start when the roof has collapsed.”
Mujuru said after getting the call, she raced to the farm and arrived shortly after 3AM to find the fire still raging.
“The farm workers were still trying to put out the fire. The Fire Brigade had been called when I got there. The workers said they called the Fire Brigade an hour plus earlier and they hadn’t been at the farm,” she said.
The Fire Brigade later arrived WITHOUT water.
Mujuru’s remains – a heap of bones and ashes – were recovered near a door several hours later when the flames were extinguished.
But the Vice President has questioned why General Mujuru, who had been drinking with friends at the nearby Beatrice Motel the night before, opted to run for the door of the 14-roomed property when he could have used the bedroom window.
“The [bedroom] set-up had two western big windows, so if you want to come out you just jump. Our little kids used to jump and we used to laugh about it. It was closer to come out through the window than the door,” she said.
Police and forensic experts are still investigating the cause of the fire, which earlier reports suggested could have been sparked by a candle following a power outage.
“I suppose if they were to give us something satisfying it would make my heart rest,” Mujuru said. “We are anxiously waiting for the police to finish their investigations. They have invited all the experts they could find to look at what could have happened.”
Meanwhile, Mujuru has told of her gratitude at the outpouring of national grief following her husband’s death.
“To tell you the truth I have no words to tell you how I was supported by the nation especially the First Lady [Grace Mugabe], the President [Robert Mugabe], Mai [Olivia] Muchena, members of the Politburo and everyone not only Zanu PF,” she said.
“I was overwhelmed by the colours that came to mourn my husband. When I switched on my phone I had 129 missed calls. I have not expected it especially those that came to pay last respects at Stodart Hall and the night he came to lie here people came from Matabeleland North and South and were singing in their languages.
“I think I was living with a man I didn’t know. To me he was a husband but his death showed me he was a man of people and was admired by everyone.”