News / Local
Bulawayo mayoral selection process - details emerge
17 Sep 2023 at 02:55hrs | Views
The recent appointment of the Mayor and deputy Mayor of Bulawayo has sparked controversy amid allegations that Advocate Nelson Chamisa, leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), played a pivotal role in selecting the candidates.
These claims suggest a departure from democratic principles that the party purports to uphold, with Chamisa being accused of imposing his preferred candidates rather than allowing a fair and transparent selection process. This trend was also evident in the candidate selection process for the harmonized elections, where the party faced issues like fielding double candidates and potential disqualification due to late filings.
In Bulawayo, Ward 4 Councillor and former Education Minister David Coltart was elected Mayor, with Councillor Donaldson Mabuto of Ward 9 as his deputy. It's alleged that Chamisa endorsed Coltart for the Mayor position even before the elections, and there was initially a plan for Councillor Octavius Dumisani Nkomo to be the deputy. However, this changed, and Chamisa allowed councillors to elect a deputy of their choice.
Inside sources claim that Chamisa dispatched the party's Beitbridge West legislator and former Beitbridge Mayor, Hon Morgan Ncube, to ensure that the councillors adhered to his directives. There were discussions among councillors to defy Chamisa's directive, particularly regarding the deputy mayor position, but it's reported that Chamisa and Ncube pushed for a vote by a show of hands, and councillors who were considering a secret ballot were instructed to take pictures of their votes.
In the face of potential defiance, Chamisa maintained communication with Hon Ncube. As a result, many councillors hesitated to challenge the party's directives, and the Mayor, Clr Coltart, requested a 10-minute adjournment before the meeting began to consult further. Clr Coltart was the one who nominated Clr Mabuto, ensuring that the party's directive was followed.
Before the elections, Clr Nkomo was the frontrunner for the deputy mayor position, with backing from civil society members who believed he represented their interests within the local authority.
Efforts to obtain a comment from CCC spokesperson Mr. Promise Mkwananzi were unsuccessful, as his mobile phone was not reachable.
These claims suggest a departure from democratic principles that the party purports to uphold, with Chamisa being accused of imposing his preferred candidates rather than allowing a fair and transparent selection process. This trend was also evident in the candidate selection process for the harmonized elections, where the party faced issues like fielding double candidates and potential disqualification due to late filings.
In Bulawayo, Ward 4 Councillor and former Education Minister David Coltart was elected Mayor, with Councillor Donaldson Mabuto of Ward 9 as his deputy. It's alleged that Chamisa endorsed Coltart for the Mayor position even before the elections, and there was initially a plan for Councillor Octavius Dumisani Nkomo to be the deputy. However, this changed, and Chamisa allowed councillors to elect a deputy of their choice.
Inside sources claim that Chamisa dispatched the party's Beitbridge West legislator and former Beitbridge Mayor, Hon Morgan Ncube, to ensure that the councillors adhered to his directives. There were discussions among councillors to defy Chamisa's directive, particularly regarding the deputy mayor position, but it's reported that Chamisa and Ncube pushed for a vote by a show of hands, and councillors who were considering a secret ballot were instructed to take pictures of their votes.
Before the elections, Clr Nkomo was the frontrunner for the deputy mayor position, with backing from civil society members who believed he represented their interests within the local authority.
Efforts to obtain a comment from CCC spokesperson Mr. Promise Mkwananzi were unsuccessful, as his mobile phone was not reachable.
Source - The Sunday News
