Mugabe, Mujuru relations strained

Comment & Analysis
BY OUR STAFF LATE former army commander Solomon Mujuru wanted President Robert Mugabe to step down but was afraid the octogenarian would scuttle his businesses if he openly challenged him, secret US diplomatic cables have revealed.

A study of several cables leak-ed by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks have revealed that Mujuru, who died in a mysterious fire last month, was fed up with Mugabe.

His wife Vice-President Joice Mujuru has demanded a thorough investigation into his death as she suspects foul play.  The dispatches by the US diplomats in Harare over the years show that the former army general actively campaigned for Mugabe’s ouster. Former Zanu PF politburo member Simba Makoni in 2008 told former US ambassador James McGee that Mugabe had kept people like Mujuru in check through fear.

There were reports that Mujuru was one of the senior Zanu PF people behind Makoni’s presidential bid but chickened out from openly supporting him fearing Mugabe’s reaction.

“Makoni said there had been internal opposition to Mugabe from within for over 10 years,” McGee quoted the Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn opposition party leader.

“This opposition was now at its peak. Nevertheless, Mugabe had been able to hold on to power through fear.”

Makoni saw no immediate threat to Mugabe, but noted that a potential coalition between the Mujuru faction and ex-Zapu Zanu PF members from Matabeleland could leave Mugabe without a working majority in the politburo and central committee.

He said Mugabe was aware of the internal opposition and had tried his best to placate the factions. “Illustrative of this was his recent appointment of governors, he replaced four governors thought to be allied to Solomon Mujuru,” McGee said.

Tirivanhu Mudariki, descri-bed by the US embassy as a business partner and political advisor to Mujuru, also gave an insight into the former general’s relationship with Mugabe.

“He told us that Mujuru and others were beginning to suffer in Zimbabwe’s parlous business environment and were convinced they could thrive economically with a change of leadership,” McGee said in a different cable.

“He said Mujuru supported Makoni but would not take an active role in his campaign. He would consider covert financial support.”

Mudariki said while numerous Zanu PF heavyweights in addition to Mujuru wanted to see Mugabe go, they continued to enjoy Zanu PF patronage and challenging the 87-year-old leader  to leave would result in an immediate end to their  privileges.

“A challenge to Mugabe could result in their arrest and prosecution,” he reportedly said. “Therefore, these individuals are hoping to ease Mugabe out without a direct challenge.”

He said the Mujuru faction had tried to challenge Mugabe in 2007 using party structures and had hoped a challenger would be nominated at the Zanu PF extraordinary conference.

“He admitted that the Mujurus had been outmanoeuvre and had been on the defensive since,” McGee wrote.

VP Mujuru also had a secret meeting with McGee where she told him that Zanu PF hardliners were sabotaging the unity government. Zanu PF has in the past claimed that reports of factionalism in Zanu PF were exaggerated.

Police are yet to publicise their findings on the investigations on Mujuru’s death, which many people believe was an assassination.