Zanu (PF) secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa told the media ahead of Wednesday's politburo meeting that the issue of "sellouts" exposed by the US organisation Wikileaks to have pursued a regime change agenda would be top priority at the meeting.

But the issue was inexplicably dropped from the agenda. The party elders then spent a long time deliberating the hero status of financier and politburo member, Kanthibai Patel, who died last week.

Mugabe is accused of dealing with British business people by proxy. The revelations that have thrown Zanu (PF) into turmoil implicated top officials, including vice Presidents Joice Mujuru and John Nkomo and Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

There was a media frenzy amid expectations that the Politburo would read the riot act to those named in the cables. But that came to naught on Wednesday.

Sources close to Zanu (PF) and analysts say Mugabe is now in a fix and has nowhere to turn that will not spell disaster for his party. “Almost everyone worth talking about is involved. So it’s difficult for Mugabe to act as that would divide the party further,” said a Zanu (PF) member.

“Since the death of Solomon Mujuru Zanu (PF) is falling apart. There is still a group that thinks Mujuru was murdered. Raising the Wikileaks topic would have led to a bitter fight that even Mugabe would not be able to control,” said an analyst.

Police are still to reveal their findings on the cause of Mujuru’s death, while many have demanded an inquest as they suspect foul play.