Ernest Bulle

Ernest Leonard Bulle (born in 1936 died 16 January 1996) was an academic and politician who served as a minister in the governments of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe Rhodesia. He served in the cabinet of Rhodesia as joint Minister of Finance and Minister of Commerce and Industry alongside David Smith from 1978 to 1979 as part of the country's Internal Settlement. He continued as commerce minister in the government of Zimbabwe Rhodesia between June and December 1979. First elected to parliament in the 1979 Zimbabwe Rhodesia general election, he stood unsuccessfully in the 1980 general election, which set the membership of the first parliament of the independent Zimbabwe. Bulle was a member of the United African National Council and served as the party's second vice-president.

Early life, education, and family Bulle was born in Tjolotjo, Matabeleland, Southern Rhodesia. He came from the Ndebele people, but as an adult preferred English to the Ndebele language. He attended Goromonzi High School, before studying at the University of Natal, where he graduated in 1959 with a degree in social studies In the late 1960s, he became the first Ndebele postgraduate student of the African languages department of the University College of Rhodesia.

Politics Bulle served as the second vice-president of the United African National Council, a political party led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa. After the signing of the Internal Settlement on 3 March 1978, Bulle was appointed joint Minister of Finance and Minister of Commerce and Industry the following 11/12 April, serving alongside co-minister David Smith. In October 1978, he announced on behalf of the government that "all discrimination" and racial segregation would be abolished in Rhodesia.

In the 1979 general election, he was elected to Parliament to represent Matabeleland North Province. Bulle was an unsuccessful UANC candidate in the 1980 general election. He later reentered politics in the 1990s, in opposition to the ruling ZANU–PF.