Coltart urges Rotarians to fight moral decay in Zimbabwe

Bulawayo mayor David Coltart has called on members of the Rotary Club in Zimbabwe to become a moral compass for the nation, urging them to uphold truth, peace and ethical leadership in the face of national decay and a weakened justice system.

Speaking at the Rotary Club of Bulawayo presidential induction dinner held recently at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, Coltart challenged Rotarians to embody the principles of the organisation and defend values that can help rebuild Zimbabwe's social and moral fabric.

"The Four-Way Test was created in 1932. These four principles raise profound questions and they provide our nation with the guide which we are desperately in need of," Coltart said.

He emphasised the importance of truth as the foundation for both city and nation-building, pointing to the deterioration of the justice system as evidence of the country's moral crisis.

"Those of you who are lawyers know how our justice system has been terribly undermined. We do not place value in truth right across our nation," he said. "You play an important role in being a non-partisan organisation and that gives me an opportunity to restate how critically important truth is in building any city or nation."

Coltart encouraged the Rotary community to speak out against dishonest practices in business and governance, while remaining non-partisan and focused on upholding universal ethical standards.

"Where there is no truth, the moral fabric of the country is destroyed and ultimately the country itself is destroyed," he warned. "I urge you to maintain the highest standards regarding truth and where you see untruths in business practices, speak out - not in a partisan way, but in defence of these principles which we know are correct."

Highlighting Rotary's core focus areas - including peacebuilding, healthcare, education, water and sanitation - Coltart praised the club's alignment with the pressing needs of the city and nation.

"I am told that you have certain areas of focus such as promoting peace, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education, community development and environmental protection," he said. "My goodness, we need peace in our nation and in the world."

During the event, five new Rotary Club presidents were inducted: Nonhlanhla Mguni (Bulawayo South), Marlvin Bill (Belmont), Alex Mandovha (Sunrise), Gladys Bugalo (Bulawayo), and Bongiwe Ngwenya (Matopos Rotary Club).

The Rotary Club, a global non-partisan service organisation, brings together professionals and community leaders across generations with a shared mission of creating lasting change in their communities and around the world.