Coltart faces pressure to step aside

BULAWAYO Mayor David Coltart is facing mounting pressure from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) faction aligned to Sengezo Tshabangu, amid reports of a coordinated effort to remove him following his absence from a presidential borehole scheme event officiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's adviser, Paul Tungwarara.

According to party insiders quoted by The Standard, discussions over Coltart's possible removal are now at an advanced stage, although the claims have been dismissed by the party's provincial leadership.

The tensions reportedly stem from Coltart's decision not to attend a presidential borehole programme held in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, where Tungwarara officiated at the event alongside several CCC councillors.

The gathering later evolved into a campaign supporting Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), with supporters carrying placards advocating for the proposed constitutional changes while participating in singing, dancing and cash reward competitions.

Church leaders, including pastors and bishops, reportedly shared a combined US$200, while residents carrying CAB3 placards and participating in the celebrations reportedly received cash handouts, with some receiving US$20 each.

Coltart's absence from the event reportedly angered senior figures within the Tshabangu-led CCC faction, who viewed it as a deliberate snub of a high-profile Government development programme.

Speaking at the event, CCC organising secretary Francis Badzarigere openly criticised the mayor.

"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.

He warned that disciplinary action could follow if Coltart continued to disregard what he described as 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.

According to party sources, Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu is being considered as a possible replacement should efforts to remove Coltart succeed, while Ward 17 councillor Skhululekile Moyo is reportedly being considered for the deputy mayor's position to maintain gender balance within the city's leadership.

Ndlovu, however, declined to comment on the speculation.

Sources said succession discussions had intensified since Coltart publicly announced that he would not seek to remain mayor beyond the expiry of his current term in 2028.

"The party feels that he is behaving like an independent yet he belongs to a political party," one source was quoted as saying.

"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."

Another source said Coltart's decision not to seek another term had encouraged those pushing for an early leadership transition.

"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," the source said.

Party insiders also pointed to Coltart's previous disagreements with councillors aligned to Tshabangu, including last year's public dispute over the extension of Town Clerk Christopher Dube's contract.

During that episode, Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu and several councillors publicly distanced themselves from Coltart through a joint statement.

Sources further claimed that recent remarks by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, who described Bulawayo as being in the "intensive care unit" because of poor service delivery, had strengthened the position of those advocating for Coltart's removal.

However, CCC provincial spokesperson Lungani Ndebele dismissed the reports, insisting there was no internal process underway to remove the mayor.

"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.

Efforts to obtain comment from Tungwarara and Coltart were unsuccessful.

Political observers say the public criticism directed at Coltart during the Cowdray Park event highlights growing tensions within the Tshabangu-led faction of the CCC and could signal a broader struggle over the future leadership of Bulawayo City Council.

If such a move were to materialise, analysts say it would represent a significant shift in Bulawayo's political landscape while exposing deepening factional divisions within the opposition party.