He was born in Chivi, Masvingo Province on July 20, 1945, in Zimbabwe and received his primary and secondary education at Mukotosi School (1953-56), Gresham School (1957-59), Dadaya Mission (1960-61)and Fletcher High School (1962-65).

He left the country for a higher education and enrolled at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia graduating in 1971 with a Bachelors Degree (Combined Honours) in Politics and History. In 1972 he attained an Education Diploma followed by a Masters Degree in Education in 1976 from the same university. After independence, he enrolled at the University of Zimbabwe for a Masters in Public Administration graduating in 1990.

Career:
Mumbengegwi started off his career teaching at his former school Dadaya Mission in Zimbabwe. He also worked as:

  • Lecturer, Mannix College, Monash University, Australia (1973-75)
  • Teacher, Prahran High School, Melbourne, Australia (1975-77)
  • Teacher Devoton High Melbourne, (1977-78)
  • Lecturer Political Science, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (1978-79)

Political Career:
Dr. Mumbegwegwi started his political career as a ZANU activist in exile, he became the party's deputy representative in Australia and the Far East during the early 1970s and chief representative in the same region from 1973-1976. He later moved to Zambia and held the same position.

Following the country's independence, he was elected ZANU-PF Member of Parliament for Midlands Province from 1980 to 1990.

Various appointments followed his election victory, these include:

  • Deputy Speaker of Parliament from 1980 to 1981
  • Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1981 serving in the position until 1982
  • Minister of Water Resources and Development (1982-84)
  • Minister of Public Construction and National Housing (1984-88)
  • Minister of Transport (1988-90)
  • ZANU_PF Provincial Treasurer for the Midlands (1981-84)
  • ZANU-PF Member of the Central Committee(1984-94)
  • Central Committee Deputy Secretary for Publicity and Information (1984-89)
  • Zimbabwe's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1990-95)
  • Vice-President of the United Nations General Assembly (1990-91)
  • Member of the United Nations Security Council (1991-92)
  • Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and United Kingdom
  • Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2005