Mutsvangwa blasted over attack on Coltart

Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has ignited a storm of criticism after accusing Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart of advancing tribal interests and allegedly supporting a separatist agenda, following Coltart's recent meeting with King Bulelani Lobengula Khumalo, a claimant to the Ndebele throne.

Speaking at a press conference at Zanu-PF headquarters last week, Mutsvangwa claimed that the mayor's engagement with King Bulelani was part of "a plot to create a separate Matabeleland state." He further accused the opposition-led Bulawayo City Council of being out of touch with the Government's national development agenda.

"His Excellency President Dr ED Mnangagwa is committed to providing working capital for the people of Zimbabwe," said Mutsvangwa. "But the mayor is too busy playing politics to notice the industrial revival already underway."
The remarks were immediately met with fierce backlash from Matabeleland-based civil society organisations, who labelled them reckless, divisive, and historically ignorant.

Ibhetshu LikaZulu, a prominent advocacy group in the region, slammed Mutsvangwa for what it described as dangerous and inflammatory rhetoric.

"Mr Mutsvangwa's statement that this meeting is part of a plot to create a separate Matabeleland state is not only malicious but also a dangerous distortion of both historical truth and present reality," said Mbuso Fuzwayo, the organisation's secretary-general.

Fuzwayo underscored that King Bulelani's role is cultural, not political, and his recognition stems from historical continuity rather than political favour.

"King Bulelani Lobengula is the leader of the Ndebele nation — not by the permission of Chris Mutsvangwa, Zanu-PF, or any contemporary political actor, but by historical right and the lived cultural reality of the people," he said.

The controversy escalated further after Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe issued a stern letter to Mayor Coltart demanding an explanation for hosting King Bulelani, a South African national. The move has drawn ridicule from cultural leaders and politicians who see it as a misguided and culturally tone-deaf intervention.

Critics say Garwe should be celebrating cultural heritage instead of demonising it.

Fuzwayo also used the occasion to address the long-standing marginalisation of Matabeleland, citing Zanu-PF's failure to rebuild Bulawayo's economy and its refusal to adequately address the Gukurahundi genocide, in which over 20,000 mostly Ndebele civilians were killed in the 1980s.

"Chris Mutsvangwa must not mistake his overrated Rambo war credentials and militant posturing for wisdom," said Fuzwayo. "Zanu-PF owns this destruction – they must not now seek scapegoats among those trying to revive a broken city."

The current uproar has also resurfaced painful memories of a similar tribal controversy in 2020 involving Mutsvangwa's wife, Monica Mutsvangwa, who at the time served as Information Minister. Monica drew national condemnation for her attack on Catholic Archbishop Robert Ndlovu, whom she accused of pushing a "tribal agenda" in response to a pastoral letter criticising government abuses.

Her now-infamous reference to the "righteous Ndebele minority" was widely condemned as an ethnic slur and seen as an attempt to diminish the trauma of Gukurahundi. Human rights groups demanded her resignation, leading to her eventual reassignment to a less influential ministry.

As tribal tensions resurface, voices from Matabeleland are calling for genuine national healing rooted in justice, accountability, and respect.

"We demand dignity, justice, and a new national discourse rooted in truth — not fear," said Fuzwayo. "Zimbabwe cannot move forward while its leaders weaponise ethnicity for political convenience."

The controversy comes at a time when President Mnangagwa's administration is under increasing pressure to demonstrate sincerity in addressing historical grievances and fostering national unity.