Tungamirai was poisoned, wife claims

Tungamirai was poisoned, wife claims

• Mugabe defends hero status denial for Chikerema

• James Chikerema dies in U.S.

• Tungamirai dies in South Africa

• Suicide rumours swell after Chikowore's death

• Chikowore dies amid suicide rumours

• Ex-Minister Mangwende dies

• Zvobgo's death a huge blow to Hungwe

• Zvobgo: The President Zimbabwe never had

• Zvobgo's reservations about hero's burial

• Misihairabwi: 'His enemies have won'

• Zvobgo dies

• Zvobgo recovers, back in Parliament in weeks

• Zvobgo admitted to SA hospital

• Zanu PF charges Zvobgo

• Zvobgo hits back at opponents

By Staff Reporter

THE widow of a former Zimbabwean cabinet minister and Air Force commander who died in South Africa last year has sensationally claimed he was poisoned.

Pamela Tungamirai, wife of the late Josiah Tungamirai, claimed in a newspaper notice Friday that the former giant of Zimbabwe's liberation war against minority rule died after eating French fries laced with poison.

The sensational revelations are contained in a memoriam advertisement placed in the state-run Herald newspaper.

Tungamirai, who was the Minister for Black Empowerment and Indigenisation, died on August 25, 2005, in a South African hospital after being flown there for emergency treatment.

Tungamirai's wife did not name her husband's killers, but claimed they were now having hell on earth.

Pamela said in the advert: “What gives me relief is the obvious signs of hell on earth on all those who had a hand in the lacing of poison on those fresh chips you ate, and brought home the remains, and told me all that resulted in your immediate illness leading to your death.

“Vengeance is mine! Praise the Lord! I am sure you have found your rightful place on his side, and may your soul rest in peace."

Pamela Tungamirai is currently locked in a bitter legal wrangle with Solomon Mujuru, a retired army general and husband of Vice President Joice Mujuru, over the late Tungamirai’s estate.

Mujuru is has taken the side of Tungamirai sons who are claiming Tungamirai's house in Harare, and a farm in Darwendale. The master of the High Court has appointed Tungamirai’s wife and Mujuru as co-executors of the will but the court is yet to rule on a disputed will.

The will gives Pamela's stepsons control over the matrimonial home and the farm, but she claims the will is fraudulent.

A former chief military advisor to the late Zanla military supremo and national hero, Josiah Tongogara, Tungamirai was aligned to the Zanu PF Masvingo province camp led by the late Edison Zvobgo. The faction was involved in a battle for supremacy with another led by the late Vice President Simon Muzenda.

Tungamirai became a brigadier in the newly formed Zimbabwe National Army after independence in 1980. In 1982 Mugabe transferred him to command the air force, which had had an all-white officer corps. Tungamirai insisted on being taught to fly and obtained his "wings."

In line with Mugabe's policy of having senior soldiers, civil servants and judges active in the ruling Zanu PF party, he appointed Tungamirai to its top policy-making body, the 40 member politburo, as secretary for youth affairs. On retirement he was brought into Parliament and the Cabinet.

He was on the "targeted sanctions" list of prominent regime supporters banned from travel to the United States, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand, and barred from having bank accounts there.

Tungamirai bought a farm near Masvingo, on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis, before the February 2000 launch of Mugabe's "fast track" redistribution of former white owned land to black Zimbabweans. He was considered a model emergent commercial farmer. Mugabe made unsuccessful attempts to promote Tungamirai as a political strongman of the influential Karanga section of Zimbabwe's majority Shona tribal group, but he never succeeded in ousting Edison Zvobgo, who died two years ago.

Tungamirai and Zvobgo were seriously injured 11 years ago when a car in which they were travelling together crashed in their home area near the southern town of Masvingo. To calm a nationwide frenzy of speculation, both were forced to issue strong statements there was no foul play involved.
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com