Grace Mugabe refuses to shake Kasukuwere's hand

President Robert Mugabe's wife Grace Mugabe and Zanu-PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere are reportedly not on talking terms as internal fissures rocking Zanu-PF over President Robert Mugabe's throne continue unabated.

An online website reported that Mugabe's wife, who is also the ruling party's Women's League boss, reportedly snubbed local government minister Kasukuwere at this week's politburo meeting in the capital.

"Kasukuwere extended his hand to greet the First Lady but she openly ignored him without explanation'" said a source.

Mugabe flexed his muscles at Wednesday's long politburo meeting in Harare, where he apparently rejected outright passionate pleas by his influential wife Grace and other senior party bigwigs for the late military chief Stephen Hurungudo to be declared a national hero.

"The president openly contradicted what his wife said and made it very clear that he was the one in charge. Even though the First Lady tried her best to arm-twist him, the president stood his ground. At one point, the First Lady even whispered in the ear of the president with little success," a source said.

There were also claims that Kasukuwere had his knuckles rapped at the meeting, with regard to his controversial decision to recall Masimirembwa - apparently with even Mugabe questioning the wisdom and procedural correctness of the ongoing purges in the divided party.

"In his defence, Kasukuwere said that Masimirembwa was free to contest in the forthcoming elections and assured the party that by December, restructuring of all provinces would have been completed," another insider said.