Bulawayo has always prided itself as the best run city in Zimbabwe, but of late there have been worrying signs of corruption creeping into City Hall under the watch of the fractious Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
After the 2023 elections, an air of optimism swept across the city when former Education minister and respected city lawyer David Coltart was elected mayor.
Coltart had carved an impeccable reputation as a selfless leader in his stint as a minister in the inclusive government where he resisted trinkets that blinded most of his colleagues that had been drawn from the opposition.
He was also credited for bringing Zimbabwe’s education system back from the brink after the neglect by Mugabe’s previous administration left the majority of children without textbooks and teachers had virtually stopped working because they were demoralised.
It was against that background that a lot was expected from his stint as Bulawayo mayor.
However, Coltart’s vision for the city was disrupted within a few months when SengezoTshabungu began recalling elected CCC councillors.
The Tshabangu madness opened the doors for Zanu PF through by-elections and the ruling party now has a handful of councillors in the city.
CCC split into two with some councillors electing to remain loyal to then party leader Nelson Chamisa while others sided with the self-imposed CCC acting secretary-general.
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The chaos saw the emergence of a culture that is alien to Bulawayo where leaders put their selfish interests ahead of those of residents and ,this is derailing Coltart’s agenda for the city.
There is nothing that better illustrates this point than the frenzied push by some councillors to extend town clerk Christopher Dube’s contract until he reaches the new government retirement age of 70.
Dube should have retired in September when his fixed contract expired, but he does not want to exit and he appears to be backed by some CCC councillors.
Coltart told on journalists on Friday that meetings to discuss Dube’scontract “rapidly degenerate into total disorder,” with councillors trading insults and threats.
He revealed that some councillors are even convening illegal meetings to pass resolutions to extend the town clerk’s contract in defiance of advice by Local Government minister Daniel Garwe for council to seek guidance from the Attorney General’s Office before proceeding with the matter.
The revelations that the mayor and some councillors, who are resisting the clear violation of council procedures in their push for a new contract for the town clerk are receiving threats, are disconcerting.
It has become clear that these councillors are serving the interests of some dark forces and not those of Bulawayo residents. Those with Bulawayo’s interests at heart must not stand idle while the vultures circle what is left of the carcass.
