GENERAL RUGEJE DENIES REJECTING DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENT, SLAMS FALSE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTS

By Dr Masimba Mavaza

Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje has denied with contempt the false social media reports claiming he rejected his appointment as Ambassador to Maputo.

General Rugeje says he has not appointed any social media activist or faceless source to be his spokesperson and he never issued any statement rejecting the offer.

The disciplined soldier is deeply disappointed and concerned by the misinformation doing rounds on social media suggesting he turned down an offer from His Excellency, President E.D Mnangagwa to become Ambassador to Mozambique and Eswatini.

General Rugeje, a highly disciplined and protocol-abiding senior officer, has made it clear that he respects the President as his Commander-in-Chief and would never address or respond to his seniors through unofficial channels like social media.

For the record, General Rugeje has not said NO to any appointment. He has not rejected anything because nothing has been rejected. The article titled "RUGEJE SAYS NO TO MAPUTO" is entirely false, malicious and fabricated.

The facts are simple: His Excellency the President has not yet allocated missions to any of the designate Ambassadors. Maputo has not been given to Rugeje or to anyone else. No designate Ambassador knows which mission he will be posted to.

All designate Ambassadors will undergo mandatory diplomatic training in the last week of October. Only after that training will the President allocate missions.

Therefore the claim that General Rugeje rejected Maputo is not only false but logically impossible. He cannot reject what has not been offered.

General Rugeje remains a loyal, disciplined soldier and a loyal cadre ready to serve his country anywhere and anytime as directed by His Excellency the President.