By A Correspondent | The most powerful post coup military politician, only next to the Presidium, former ZANU PF National Commissar, Gen Engelbert Eugeje has spoken for the first time following a gun attack at his Mt Pleasant house on Sunday morning.

Armed intruders were “repelled” by soldiers and one intruder was shot dead, when they tried to attack his house.

Speaking exclusively to ZimEye Gen Rugeje said, “I wasn’t there.”

He was asked if he knows what happened as well as details of possible injuries, and he said, “get the details from ZRP who attended the scene I wasn’t there.”

He was also asked if he has a clue of who is behind this and what their agenda is, and to this he replied with a long sigh and then said,

“I don’t have a clue when I was not there,”

Asked on his well being, how he feels, Gen Rugeje became non committal with responses.

His phone was hung up soon afterwards.

The development comes as Rugeje, who occupied the party’s most influential position, was rumoured to be next in line for disappearance or a car accident as has happened to many before him.

His immediate predecessor Saviour Kasukuwere fled Zimbabwe after his house was pounced on by skilled snipers.

Since independence 1980, every other political commissar has suffered either an assassination, or a humiliating ouster. The list of victims includes:

Mayor Urimbo,

Maurice Nyagumbo,

Movern Mahachi,

Border Gezi,

Elliot Manyika,

Webster Shamu,

In 2018, Rugeje hinted on a political sabbatical arguing that “people should not be mistaken that jobs are found at ZANU PF HQ”.

Rugeje took over from Saviour Kasukwere who was fired from Zanu Pf in 2017 for being linked to a faction which was coalescing around former first lady Grace Mugabe. The expulsion of the G40 faction resulted in some fissures ahead of the polls with some members of the party forming a new outfit called the National Patriotic Front which was also supported by former president Robert Mugabe.

The former army general was appointed by Mnangagwa at the party’s extra-ordinary congress in Harare before he presided over a chaotic primary election where he received brickbats from senior party members like Christopher Mutsvangwa for causing divisions in the party.

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