Engelbert Rugeje Biography | Car Accident, Early Life and Education, Military Career, Political Career
This is the biography of Engelbert Rugeje (born circa 1962) a Zimbabwean politician and retired military officer. He served as December 2017, he has served as the ZANU-PF national political commissar. Prior to his political role, Rugeje was the Chief of Staff of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) until 2007. Upon his retirement from the military in December 2017, Rugeje was promoted from major general to lieutenant general and formally joined ZANU-PF.
Early Life and Education
Rugeje was born in Charamba village, located in Bikita District, Zimbabwe. He completed his early education at Silveira Mission.
He holds several advanced degrees, including:
- Master of Defence and Strategic Studies and Master of Laws from Lancaster University.
- Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University.
- PhD in Philosophy from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. As of May 2018, he was pursuing a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the University Utara Malaysia.
Military Career
Early Military Involvement
Rugeje joined the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) at the age of 16, adopting the name “Sunbat.” He quickly rose through the ranks and became part of ZANLA’s general staff.
Zimbabwe National Army Service
Following Zimbabwe’s independence, Rugeje was offered the rank of major in the newly formed Zimbabwe Defence Forces. His career progressed as follows:
- Lieutenant Colonel (1983): Promoted to lead key military operations, including suppressing the ZIPRA rebellion in Matabeleland from 1983 to 1987.
- Colonel (1987): Commanded the First Mechanised Battalion at Inkomo Barracks and led successful operations against RENAMO in Mozambique.
- Brigadier General (1990): Appointed quartermaster of the ZNA and participated in counter-insurgency missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1990s.
- Major General (2000): Rose to fourth in command of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
Relations with China
In 2006, Rugeje praised the military cooperation between Zimbabwe and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, emphasizing the strong ties between the two nations.
Retirement and Promotion
In December 2017, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promoted Rugeje to lieutenant general upon his retirement from the military.
Involvement in the 2007 Coup Attempt
In June 2007, Rugeje, along with ZNA spokesman Ben Ncube and Air Vice-Marshal Elson Moyo, was reportedly arrested along with nearly 400 soldiers for allegedly plotting a coup against President Robert Mugabe’s administration. Rugeje was considered the “brains” behind the attempted coup, although the details of the case remain complex.
Political Career
In December 2017, following his retirement from the military, Rugeje was appointed ZANU-PF’s national political commissar by President Mnangagwa, a key position within the party structure. However, he was removed from this position in 2019 and replaced by Victor Matematanda, who was later succeeded by Mike Bimha in 2021. In May 2024, Munyaradzi Machacha took over the role of political commissar.
Car Accident
In September 2019, Rugeje survived a serious car accident when one of his vehicle’s wheels came off while driving. The incident, which occurred in Mt Pleasant, left him shaken, but he escaped unharmed after the car struck some rocks, preventing it from overturning.