Civic leaders and residents have rallied behind Bulawayo mayor David Coltart, insisting he should complete his term and be judged on performance, not political speculation, amid reports of a plot to oust him.
Controversy has been brewing about an alleged a grouping of Bulawayo councillors, belonging to the Citizens Coalition for Change led by self-imposed secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu, that is plotting Coltart’s ouster.
The councillors are fronting for Coltart’s deputy, Edwin Ndlovu, to take over, with councillor Sikhululekile Moyo as his deputy.
Moves to oust Coltart came after the clique of councillors attended a Cowdray Park gathering where President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor, Paul Tungwarara, was the guest of honour.
Tungwarara gave the councillors US$200 each during the meeting, which later turned out to be a defector mini-rally in support of the Constitutional Amendment Number 3 Bill (CAB3).
Tshabangu said last week that he was unaware of, and not behind, moves by some of his councillors in the city to remove Coltart.
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Tshabangu reiterated that the Urban Councils Act does not allow the unilateral party removal of elected mayors without due legal process.
In interviews with Southern Eye on Sunday, various stakeholders argued that leadership changes should hinge on objective performance, not internal party disputes.
Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) chairperson, Winos Dube, said residents have “no problems” with Coltart’s tenure, citing visible progress.
“But generally, as residents, we have not had any problems with the mayor being there for Bulawayo ever since he came into office,” Dube said.
“There are a number of things that we are seeing being worked on”.
“There is meaningful change under his leadership, even though the country’s economy is failing him.”
“He is a mayor who engages residents on issues that affect them, and people want him to finish his constitutional term.
“We have seen improvements, including the restoration of landmarks such as the City Hall fountain and the resurfacing of roads in the city centre.”
Former Zipra zone commander Andrew Ndlovu said removing the mayor “would only create more chaos,” arguing that Bulawayo’s financial woes stem from structural issues predating Coltart’s term.
“Removing Coltart as mayor is not the solution to the problems affecting Bulawayo City Council,” Ndlovu said.
“The focus should be on addressing the structural challenges affecting the city’s ability to generate revenue and deliver services.”
A political analyst stressed that service delivery depends on the entire council team, not one individual.
The analyst nevertheless described Coltart as committed to his responsibilities, adding that any decision on his future should be based on performance rather than political maneuvering.