Bulawayo mayor David Coltart is facing growing pressure from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) faction led by Sengezo Tshabangu, amid reports of a coordinated push to remove him after he snubbed a meeting officiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor Paul Tungwarara.
Tungwarara officiated at a presidential borehole scheme event attended by a number of CCC councillors in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park.
The event evolved into a show of support for the Constitutional Amendment Bill No 3 (CAB3) campaign, which seeks to extend Mnangagwa’s tenure beyond current constitutional limits.
Supporters carrying CAB3 placards sang, danced, and competed for cash rewards as Tungwarara repeatedly distributed money to individuals and groups throughout the event.
Church leaders, including pastors and bishops, reportedly received a combined US200.
Residents carrying CAB3 placards and participating in the celebrations also received cash handouts, with some reportedly getting US$20 each. Coltart’s absence at the event, however, reportedly angered senior CCC party officials, who viewed it as a deliberate snub of a high-profile development programme.
Speaking at the event, CCC organising secretary Francis Badzarigere publicly criticised Coltart in remarks that exposed deepening cracks within the party.
“I am not trying to be a racist, but we expect that if you are a city father, a mayor, and there is a programme of the President of this nature, it is wrong not to be here,” Badzarigere said.
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He warned that the party would act if Coltart continued to disregard party expectations.
“We have no problems with having a deputy mayor, but if the mayor does not give an apology, if the mayor behaves like he is an independent, we will take action,” he said.
CCC insiders told The Standard that discussions around Coltart’s possible removal were now at an advanced stage.
According to the sources, deputy mayor Edwin Ndlovu is being considered to take over the mayoral post if the move succeeds, with Ward 17 councillor Skhululekile Moyo tipped for the deputy mayor position as part of efforts to maintain gender balance.
Ndlovu, however, refused to be dragged into the matter when reached for comment yesterday.
Sources said internal jostling over Coltart’s succession has intensified since he publicly announced that he would not seek to remain in office beyond the end of his current term in 2028.
His announcement is understood to have triggered behind-the-scenes positioning among ambitious party figures eyeing the city’s top post.
“The party feels that he is behaving like an independent yet he belongs to a political party,” said a source familiar with the internal discussions. “His constant criticism of the leadership on social media has not gone down well.
“Many feel he no longer represents the collective position of the party.” The sources said Coltart’s 2028 exit plan had further emboldened those pushing for leadership change.
“The feeling is that if there is going to be a new mayor, that person should come in now and have enough time to implement his own vision before the next elections,” said one of the sources.
The source said the mayor has also had clashes with councillors loyal to Tshabangu.
The sources cited last year’s public fallout over the extension of town clerk Christopher Dube’s contract, when the deputy mayor and several councillors openly distanced themselves from Coltart through a press statement.
“That incident was closely watched by party leaders because it exposed deep divisions within the council and showed that even fellow councillors were no longer united behind him,” another source said.
The sources added that recent remarks by Local Government minister Daniel Garwe — that Bulawayo was in “ICU” in terms of service delivery — had further strengthened the hand of those seeking Coltart’s removal.
Contacted for comment, CCC provincial spokesperson Lungani Ndebele dismissed the claims as false and unfounded, insisting there was no internal process to remove Coltart.
“There is no move to oust mayor Coltart. Our focus as CCC remains on service delivery and addressing issues affecting residents of Bulawayo, not internal distractions driven by speculation,” Ndebele said yesterday. Tungwarara and Coltart could not be reached for comment.
Coltart has in recent months been vocal on governance issues, at times appearing to differ publicly with elements within the Tshabangu-aligned faction.
Political observers said the public rebuke in Cowdray Park may signal an escalation in the internal power struggle over control of Bulawayo City Council.
Analysts said Coltart’s planned removal would mark a dramatic shift in Bulawayo politics and further expose deep factional divisions within the CCC.
