MPs want foreign probe of Mujuru death

By Chengetai Zvauya

Weary members of Parliament have called for a foreign probe into the mysterious death of Retired General Solomon Mujuru, two months after local police started investigations.

Legislators yesterday openly said they did not have confidence in the police, who have failed to come up with a report on the death of the popular general. This has raised the ire of the family, friends, Parliamentarians and the whole nation.

Parliamentarians now believe that the truth about how Mujuru died can only be determined by independent investigators and suggested forensic experts from countries like the UK, China and Russia.

The legislators from both Zanu PF and the two MDC parties, in a rare show of solidarity, demonstrated just how they have lost confidence in the abilities of the local police to get to the bottom of the Mujuru matter when they unanimously demanded foreign intervention into the probe.

Mujuru’s charred remains were found at his farm house in Beatrice after an inferno razed down the house. It is not clear whether he died before or during the fire. Police have so far failed to come up with clues but hinted to the Daily News two weeks ago that they had finished the first part of the probe.

Two months down the line, the Mujuru family, friends and ordinary Zimbabweans are still speculating on what might have happened on that fateful day. The motion to pass condolences on the passing on of Mujuru was introduced last month by the Zanu PF MP for Mwenezi East, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti.

Yesterday, MDC MP for Masvingo Central Jefferson Chitando raised up the tempo and suggested the setting up of a special committee involving foreigners to investigate the death of Mujuru.

“The nation demands that we set up an investigating team and we call in the Scotland Yard Police, Russian police or Chinese police to look into the matter.

“Our people think that our soldiers, the police and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), who are involved in the investigations, are not doing a proper job. We want an independent committee to be set up,” said Chitando to wild approval from the rest of the house.

The MPs said it is now almost two months after the death of Mujuru and no reasonable explanation has been given except the talk of a “candle light flame,” a line which has largely been dismissed as the likely cause of the fire that killed the former liberation war fighter.

MDC MP for Kambuzuma Willis Madzimure said: “We must as a nation investigate the death of the General and we want foreign experts to be involved because we understand that the people who are supposed to give evidence are now afraid and this is causing a lot of problems in the investigations.”

Zanu PF MP for Buhera North William Mutomba urged members of parliament to forget their political differences and ensure that a proper investigation into Mujuru’s death is conducted.

“I saw many MDC MPs at the burial of General Mujuru and it was a good sign of unity amongst us as members of parliament and we wish we could do that to conclude the investigations. We don’t need to be name calling each other over unfounded statements and we Zanu PF MPs were saddened by his death because he was our senior party member and we want to know the truth about the death,” said Mutomba raising emotions among his fellow MPs.

Vice President Joice Mujuru has already expressed her disappointment at the snail pace with which the investigations into the death of her husband are proceeding. She also raised questions over how the celebrated general could have died in a ball of fi re when he could have easily walked out of the Beatrice Farm house.

Speaking at a function in Rushinga at the weekend, Mujuru said she has not received the police report on the probe into her husband’s death. Daily News