Business mourns Solomon Mujuru

General Solomon Mujuru, who died in an inferno at his Beatrice farmhouse on Tuesday night.
Rtd General Mujuru is one of the country’s most illustrious liberation war heroes who fought to free the country from colonial bondage and at independence served in the national army with distinction.
And the one thing that the business community loved about the General, as he was affectionately referred to by his associates, was his touching humility as a businessman, farmer, friend, national hero and politician.

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Former Affirmative Action Group president and Harare businessman Mr Philip Chiyangwa said Rtd Gen Mujuru was an irreplaceable national hero whose legacy and wise counsel will be remembered for a long time.

Mr Chiyangwa credited the ex-general and businessman with assisting in laying the building blocks for the empowerment of indigenous people in line with the objectives for which he and friends of like vision and ambition fought for.

“He had established knowledge of empowerment in that while putting together what we wanted he helped us achieve the whole programme so the masses would understand what we were trying to do,” said Mr Chiyangwa.

In that regard Mr Chiyangwa said he held discussions with the late Retired General to ensure that in empowering the masses, AAG would not deviate from the pillars of the liberation struggle, namely politics, culture and law.

He said that Rtd General Mujuru always made AAG understand and realise their mistakes in their quest to empower the majority.
Mr Chiyangwa said the businessman and farmer’s achievements would be difficult for many to replicate.
He described him as a successful businessman and a politician who was not jealous of others’ success.

“If there is anyone who could call themselves a Joshua Nkomo (the late Vice President) it is was General, that is Mujuru for you,” said Mr Chiyangwa.
He also said the General Mujuru’s death had left a huge void in Zimbabwe that would be hard to fill.
“He was consistent, always sacrificing the short routes for long routes, which brought long-term benefits,” he said.

He described him as a businessman who was prepared to stake his influence among the best in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce immediate past president Mr Trust Chikohora also paid homage Zimbabwe National Army Commander Retired General.

“The late Retired General Solomon Mujuru is one person who no one, regardless of their political standing, can doubt that he was a national hero.
“No matter what the future holds for Zimbabwe, he will remain an indelible part of the country’s history.
“He played an outstanding role in the liberation of the country, and in post-independence Zimbabwe he transitioned to a farmer and businessman in his own right, which should be commended,” said Mr Chikohora.

Affirmative Action Group president Mr Supa Mandiwanzira said Zimbabwe’s freedom of doing business was attributed to the role Gen. Mujuru played.
“Our condolences are to the Mujuru family and the nation as a whole on the passing on of the liberation war icon. “We feel that the business freedom we enjoy now is a result of his dedicated contribution in the liberation war,” said Mr Mandiwanzira.

“Retired General Solomon Mujuru is one of the pillars of the foundation of a well renowned and exceptionally professional national defence forces (ZNA,” he said.
In that same regard, AAG executive director Dr Davison Gomo said the late army general’s contribution to business had been cut prematurely by his death.

“His main aim was to teach that black people can be very successful in their own right as long as they are given adequate support. This was typified by the fact he emerged from humble beginnings to become a vibrant and successful businessman,” he said.
ZNCC president Mr Oswell Binha said the passing on of late Retired Gen. Mujuru is a sad loss to the business community and country.

“A business environment comes from the nation’s history and ZNCC is part of that history.
“As ZNCC we are incomplete as an institution if we don’t incorporate ourselves as part of the history and we are truly saddened by the loss of Retired General Mujuru.
“We can’t comprehend as an institution that a man of such stature has passed on in such a saddening way.
ZNCC is with the Vice President Joyce Mujuru, the Mujuru family, President Robert Mugabe and the whole nation during this difficult time,” he said.