Rugeje rejects diplomatic posting to Mozambique?

RETIRED Lieutenant-General Engelbert Rugeje reportedly turned down a diplomatic posting to Maputo, Mozambique, offered by President Emmerson Mnangagwa following the death of Zimbabwe's ambassador to Mozambique and Eswatini, Victor Matemadanda.

Matemadanda died in June, having served as Zimbabwe's ambassador to Mozambique and Eswatini. Sources said Rugeje, a Zanu PF Politburo member and an ally of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, was subsequently lined up to replace him.

However, sources said Rugeje declined the offer, citing political, security and economic considerations.

According to insiders, the proposed appointment came against the backdrop of growing tensions within Zanu PF and longstanding succession divisions between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga.

Mnangagwa and Chiwenga worked together in the 2017 military-assisted operation that ended former President Robert Mugabe's rule, with Mnangagwa taking over as President and Chiwenga becoming his deputy.

However, an intense rivalry over the country's future leadership subsequently emerged, with Mnangagwa gradually moving to reduce the influence of military figures perceived to be aligned to Chiwenga.

Rugeje was among the senior military figures whose careers changed following the 2017 political transition.

He was removed from the army and appointed Zanu PF national political commissar in December 2017, serving in the position until June 2019.

Sources said Chiwenga had used his influence at the time to secure Rugeje's appointment, while Mnangagwa had wanted Matemadanda for the position.

After Rugeje's removal from the commissariat, Mnangagwa eventually appointed Matemadanda as political commissar in June 2019, a position he held until June 2021.

Matemadanda was subsequently deployed to the diplomatic service and became Zimbabwe's ambassador to Mozambique and Eswatini.

Rugeje was reportedly later earmarked for the position of Vice-Chancellor of the Zimbabwe National Defence University, but the appointment did not materialise.

He was also reportedly considered for the position of Zimbabwe National Army commander following the death of Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo in July 2021.

Instead, retired Lieutenant-General David Sigauke was appointed commander in July 2021, serving until October 2023, when Lieutenant-General Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, regarded as a Chiwenga ally, took over.

Rugeje has subsequently remained largely outside the country's key military command structures.

Sources said his decision to reject the Maputo posting was also influenced by security concerns, given the deaths of previous Zimbabwean ambassadors to Mozambique.

Apart from Matemadanda, retired Lieutenant-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, who had also been deployed to diplomatic service, died in February 2021.

Nyikayaramba was among several senior army commanders retired and sent into diplomatic assignments by Mnangagwa in February 2019 amid changes in the military leadership.

The changes came at a time when Chiwenga was experiencing serious health problems and was travelling between Zimbabwe, South Africa and China for medical treatment.

Sources alleged that the redeployments formed part of a broader effort by Mnangagwa to weaken Chiwenga's influence within the military and consolidate his control over the state.

The latest reported removal of a senior military figure is that of retired Lieutenant-General Thomas Moyo, who headed the Military Intelligence Directorate.

Rugeje's reported refusal of the Maputo posting also has an economic dimension.

Insiders said the retired general was reluctant to accept a diplomatic position because he was earning relatively good money through consultancy work.

"Rugeje says he is doing some consultancy work now and is earning some reasonable amounts, while living a decent lifestyle, but being an ambassador is a route to poverty," a source said.

The source added that Rugeje believed there was little financial incentive in taking up the diplomatic assignment.

Attempts to obtain comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Rugeje were unsuccessful.

The claims regarding the political motivations behind the proposed appointment, Rugeje's reasons for rejecting it and the alleged succession-related tensions could not independently be verified.