A Diplomat’s Web of Deceit: Inside Rugari’s Ruthless Plot to Destroy His Wife!

By Investigative Desk | Part II

The tragic death of young Nganwa Rugari has exposed a chilling, calculated scheme by Zimbabwean Consul to Uganda, Chris Rugari, to silence his wife permanently — by branding her a murderer. But behind this horrifying setup lies a decade-long history of deceit, manipulation, and moral decay.

As our investigation deepens, the picture of who Rugari truly is becomes clearer: a master manipulator, chronic absentee father, and serial polygamist who has used his diplomatic cover to escape accountability — until now.

A Setup Disguised as Tragedy

On the fateful night when little Nganwa fell from the flat, sources reveal that Joline had repeatedly warned the maid to keep the window locked, as the child often played nearby. That night, after supper, Joline had gone to search for the keys to lock the window, when she heard a thud. She rushed outside to find the child on the ground, crying in pain. There was no visible blood, but she suspected internal injury, especially around the chest. She rushed him to Kitintale Hospital, and after brief care, they returned home — but by morning, the child had worsened. At around 9:00 a.m., he was rushed back to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Chris Rugari, Joline Kanoeli & the deceased child Nganwa Rugari

She alerted the family — including Rugari, who refused to answer her calls. Instead, he quickly moved to paint her as a negligent, even malicious mother. Leveraging his connections, he had Joline arrested along with the maid, cutting her off from her children and even denying her the right to breastfeed her newborn.

Weaponizing the Law

Joline’s incarceration was just the latest in a long pattern of Rugari’s abuse. He had already tried to erase her existence legally — first by declaring her dead in a failed attempt to take full control of their shared Mutungo home, and later by banning her children from the premises.

He had falsely promised her a future in Turkey, only to abandon her and the children there. Upon learning of her pregnancy, he accused her of infidelity and fled, later spinning the story to her family that the baby was Turkish and not his — despite having been with her in Turkey the entire time.

Living a Lie

Rugari’s web of lies spans countries and wives. Even as he promised Joline a future in marriage, he was secretly wedding and living with multiple other women — Teddy, Brenda, and Jackline — across Zambia and Uganda.

He has mastered the art of wearing a diplomatic mask while orchestrating chaos in the lives of the women who have trusted him.

Joline and Chris Nganwa during their best days

A Child Used as a Pawn

Even more tragic is the realization that the death of Nganwa may have provided Rugari the “golden opportunity” to get rid of a wife he no longer needed. Instead of mourning with her, he mobilized a campaign to criminalize her. Instead of being a grieving father, he has been an eager prosecutor — all while maintaining his public image as a diplomatic statesman.

Justice Denied

Joline now sits in Luzira maximum prison where she was remamded, not just mourning her child but cut off from the one who needs her most — a baby who has been denied the basic right to breastfeed from his mother.

Yet the bigger crime lies in the manipulation of law enforcement and the justice system by a man who knows how to play the game. Rugari’s dirty character has come to light — a man willing to exploit even the death of his own child to eliminate a woman who dared to stand up for her rights.

As calls for justice grow louder, one question remains: will the system continue protecting the powerful — or will it finally protect the truth?