Jonathan Moyo tears into David Coltart

The Mayor of Bulawayo and prominent member of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), David Coltart, found himself at the center of a political storm after urging voters to support ZAPU candidates in the upcoming by-elections. The move drew sharp criticism from former Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, who accused Coltart of illegal campaigning on election day.

Coltart took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration after CCC MPs were allegedly barred from contesting in the December 9 by-election. He tweeted, "Now that our 5 MP candidates in Bulawayo have been unlawfully barred from standing for election, I urge citizens to vote where possible for @ZapuPublicity ZAPU MP candidates. ZAPU is a democratic party and they will serve our interests much better than Zanu PF or pseudo Zanu PF candidates."

The tweet immediately caught the attention of Professor Jonathan Moyo, who responded with a scathing rebuke. Moyo accused Coltart of knowingly engaging in illegal campaign activities, highlighting Coltart's legal background and extensive political experience.

"AND HERE YOU ARE CAMPAIGNING ON ELECTION DAY. It's illegal, you know it; not least because you are a lawyer and a politician who has contested in many elections before," Moyo remarked.

Moyo went on to criticize Coltart for what he perceived as a blatant disregard for the law, accusing him of considering himself above the rules. "Shame on you, David Coltart. You can say and scream all you want, with all the support of Chamisa's trolls, but you and your lot are an embarrassment and a danger to society BECAUSE you never ever play by the rules; no, you are always a law unto yourselves."

AND HERE YOU ARE CAMPAIGNING ON ELECTION DAY.

It's illegal, you know it; not least because you are a lawyer and a politician who has contested in many elections before.

But you think the law does not apply to you, so you violate it with impunity and with reckless abandon…

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) December 9, 2023

The former Cabinet Minister also took the opportunity to highlight what he characterized as Coltart's history of bending the rules to suit his own interests. Moyo referenced a past incident where Coltart allegedly claimed victory in a community candidate selection caucus despite finishing last among all candidates. Moyo asserted that Coltart's actions epitomized a dangerous mindset contributing to the current state of Zimbabwe.

"Zimbabwe is in a mess because of your type: one law for yourselves, as the self-proclaimed demo," Moyo's response abruptly ended, leaving room for speculation on the continuation of his thoughts.

David Coltart later deleted the tweet on X.

The exchange between Coltart and Moyo has ignited a debate on the role of politicians in adhering to election laws and whether advocating for alternative candidates on election day is a violation of electoral norms.