David Coltart elected Bulawayo Mayor, Mabutho imposed as deputy

BULAWAYO councillors today elected Councillor David Coltart Mayor of Bulawayo and ward 9 councillor Donaldson Mabutho will be his deputy.

Coltart was a founding member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which was headed by the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

Welshman Ncube said, "They were directed this morning to elect Mabuto unopposed and if there was opposition to vote Mabuto with each one of them taking a foto of his/her ballot paper and send it to the Harare enforcers as proof with obvious consequences for anyone who didn't send the foto showing they voted Mabuto.  Welcome to what being a "colonial" outpost looks like."

Unconfirmed reports last week indicated that ward 5 councillor Dumisani Nkomo (CCC) is expected to win the race for the deputy mayor's position.

However, reports over the weekend suggested that some CCC councillors were planning to defy Chamisa by electing Gideon Shoko and Mabutho as mayor and deputy mayor, respectively.

Coltart, a former Primary and Secondary Education minister, has pledged to clean up Bulawayo to make sure the city is better organised and cleaner.

More to follow...