Zimbabwean VP's husband killed in fire

Zimbabwean Vice President's husband and the country's former commander of the defense forces, retired general Solomon Mujuru was killed died in a fire on Monday night, local media reported on Tuesday. Mujuru was widely regarded as one of the major contenders to succeed Zimbabwe's incumbent President Robert Mugabe. According to a local newspaper Newsday, Mujuru, husband of the Zimbabwean Vice President Joice Mujuru, died at his Beatrice farm, Harare South, where he was said to have been burnt to death. Circumstances surrounding the burning of the house are yet to be disclosed. Mujuru, who died at the age of 62, was powerful and influential in Zimbabwean politics. He also had a vast business empire across all key sectors of the economy. Mujuru led Robert Mugabe's guerrilla forces during the independence war. General Mujuru took over the command of the Zimbabwe National Army at independence in 1980, retiring 10 years later to go into business.