Relations between Mugabe and Mujuru were strained

Relations between President Mugabe and the late Retired General Solomon Mujuru were so strained that at one point the 2 did not greet each other despite sitting side by side during the President's birthday celebrations, NewsDay reported over the weekend.

This was revealed by Cephas Msipa, a senior Zanu PF official and former governor for Midlands Province, during discussions with United States diplomats stationed in Harare.

Msipa, a close ally of President Mugabe, said he was aware of a rift between President Mugabe and the late former Zanla commander.  

This information is contained in a US diplomatic cable leaked by whistleblowing website WikiLeaks. The cable was sent by former US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell.