Bulawayo City Council has been forced to confront two pressing challenges – severe vehicle shortages affecting service delivery and escalating illegal dumping – with councillors calling for urgent reforms to both procurement systems and penalty structures.
The matters took centre stage during Wednesday’s full council meeting, where councillors expressed frustration over stalled improvements and the growing strain on municipal operations. The debate on littering was initiated by Councillor Melisa Mabeza, who raised concern over the worsening state of public spaces due to rampant illegal vending and refuse disposal.
Councillor Octavius Dumisani Nkomo echoed the concern, arguing that current fines were too weak to discourage offenders. He pointed to Victoria Falls, where penalties sit at US$100, and suggested Bulawayo should adopt similar levels to restore cleanliness and public order. Councillor Mmeli Thobeka Moyo supported this proposal and recommended the creation of community enforcement teams in every ward to monitor compliance more closely.
Mayor Senator David Coltart backed the call for stronger deterrents, recounting a recent case where a businessman caught dumping waste along Cecil Avenue paid only US$30 – a sum far lower than official landfill fees. He warned that such nominal penalties were encouraging illegal disposal. In response, he proposed raising fines to as much as US$300 per tonne for trucks dumping waste, saying the threat of substantial financial loss could force behavioural change.
Zimbabwe’s government ministries continue to operate outside the official Public Finance Management System (PFMS), committing to contracts beyond approved budgets and under weak monitoring structures. This fiscal mismanagement has allowed expenditure to spiral out of control, resulting in the accumulation of unpaid bills that now total ZIG45.6 billion (US$1.7 billion), affecting pensioners, service providers, schools, health programmes, and contractors.
In response, the government has tabled a five-year Expenditure Arrears Clearance Strategy (2026–2030), presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube on November 27, 2025. The strategy seeks to liquidate the debt and prevent further fiscal slippage, addressing the consequences of “over-contracting” and weak expenditure controls. At the end of 2024, 98 percent of the arrears, amounting to US$1.69 billion, were denominated in US dollars.
Significant portions of the arrears are owed to social and employee welfare programmes, including US$98 million to the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), US$77.05 million in Results-Based Financing claims for health services, US$69.58 million to the Pension Fund, US$23.48 million to the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), US$28.50 million for Medical Aid (PSMAS), US$0.39 million to the Government Employee Mutual Savings Fund, and US$50 million to the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC).
The strategy attributes the arrears to ministries transacting outside PFMS, weak monitoring, over-contracting, and misalignment between budgets and actual cash releases. It warns that the accumulation of arrears poses a major Public Financial Management (PFM) risk, undermining effective budget implementation and fiscal discipline.
To clear the debt, the government plans to use a reverse auction mechanism, converting verified arrears into five-year, non-tradable government securities. Creditors will bid to sell their debt back to the state at a discount, with the largest cuts being paid first. Debt-for-asset swaps with entities such as pension funds are also being considered.
The strategy prioritises social obligations, with Category 1, totalling US$305 million, covering pensions, health insurance, and support for students and war veterans. Category 2, amounting to US$58.84 million, includes utilities and ZIMSEC, while Category 3, US$1.32 billion in capital projects for dams, roads, and agricultural inputs, will be addressed last due to limited immediate social impact.
Measures to prevent new arrears include mandatory PFMS use, Treasury approval for contracts over US$2 million, and alignment of budget releases with cash availability. The strategy asserts that the government is committed to clearing arrears and strengthening fiscal controls, though its success depends on sustained fiscal improvements and creditors’ willingness to accept discounted payments.
Former Education Minister and Bulawayo Mayor, Senator David Coltart, expressed alarm at the arrears affecting education. He noted that unpaid BEAM funds and ZIMSEC allocations could deny children access to school, disrupt learning materials, and lower examination standards, potentially producing a generation less employable and productive. “Government needs to give an unequivocal undertaking that this policy will end immediately so that children are not so badly prejudiced going forward. The future of Zimbabwe depends on it,” Coltart warned.
THE City of Bulawayo on Tuesday commissioned an early childhood development (ECD) classroom block at Queen Elizabeth II Primary School in Nkulumane, marking a significant improvement to the school’s infrastructure through a public-private partnership.
Mayor David Coltart presided over the handover, where he described the project as a critical step towards strengthening early childhood education in the city.
The modern classroom block was constructed and fully equipped through a partnership with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
“We are humbled by the generous support shown to this school and community,” Coltart said.
“This donation reflects a commitment that extends beyond spiritual matters to addressing tangible community needs.”
The mayor emphasised that ECD facilities remain a major need in most schools, with shortages adversely affecting learning conditions for the young learners.
The recently completed facility, valued at over US$70 000, includes brickwork, roofing, tiling and furniture.
Coltart noted that such partnerships are proving vital for service delivery.
The same church previously supported the construction and furnishing of ECD blocks in Cowdray Park and equipped a science laboratory at a secondary school in the area.
The project was initiated by the school development committee, but stalled due to economic challenges, prompting an appeal for assistance.
Coltart commended parents and guardians for their foundational efforts and praised the collaboration that saw the project to completion.
THE City of Bulawayo has selected Masvingo a province far away from the city as the venue for its crucial 2026–2030 Strategic Planning Workshop, after failing to secure a suitable facility in Gweru, a council report shows.
The workshop, scheduled for 8-14 December comes at a critical time as the city concludes implementation of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) and prepares to align its next five-year plan with the newly finalised National Development Strategy 2 (NDS 2).
According to the latest agenda tabled during the last full council meeting of the year on Wednesday, the Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, on Monday. told the General Purpose Committee that the Strategic Planning evaluation workshop would guide the City’s vision as it concluded NDS 1 and commenced NDS 2.
“It would play a critical role in supporting MSDS rollout, advancing Results-Based Budgeting implementation and serving as a benchmark for performance assessment going forward to enhance quality service delivery,” Mr Dube is quoted saying. Council has already advised the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works of its intent to host the workshop outside the city’s jurisdiction.
“The Town Clerk had written to the Ministry advising of Council’s intent to hold the Strategic Planning Workshop outside Council’s jurisdiction. The venue for the workshop was Masvingo,” added Mr Dube. He also noted that a comprehensive review of the outgoing 2021–2025 strategy was underway.
“Council was currently finalising Step 8, which involved preparing the 2021-2025 Strategy Evaluation Report. In line with this process, stakeholder input had been sought through physical meetings and online tools.
“A public meeting was convened to review the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan and to gather input toward the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, including priority areas. “A draft of the 2021-2025 Strategy Evaluation Report containing the findings would be circulated on Thursday 4th December, 2025. Invitation letters had also been sent to targeted stakeholders to attend the workshop in Masvingo.”
However, debate arose after councillors raised concerns regarding the choice of venue and the implications of hosting the workshop locally. City Mayor, Councillor David Coltart indicated he had scheduling challenges and proposed that the meeting be held closer to the city.
“The matter was considered and His Worship the Mayor (Senator D Coltart) stated that he had been notified late of the workshop, hence he had other commitments that clashed with the proposed dates.
“He therefore had suggested that the workshop be held at Matopo or locally to support businesses that were paying rates to Council, with the arrangement that Councillors would be paid allowances to attend the workshop.
“He therefore requested the Town Clerk to engage the Minister of Local Government and Public Works regarding the conduct of paid workshops within the City.
“If the Committee was of a different opinion from his, he would attend the workshop but not for the entire week. In his absence, the Deputy Mayor would be Acting Mayor,” reads part of the minutes.
But some councillors dismissed the idea of a local workshop, arguing that attendance would be compromised. Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu said: “Workshops within the City would be poorly attended since Councillors would be close to their families and the wards in which they operated.” Councillor Mpumelelo Moyo concurred, recalling that council was barred from paying allowances for in-city workshops.
“He also felt that workshops within the City would be poorly attended.” However, Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo noted that even out-of-town workshops had experienced low attendance. Mr Dube indicated the significance of the Masvingo workshop in finalising the city’s development direction.
He explained that the 2026 budget had been crafted before NDS 2 was rolled out.
“The NDS 2 had since been finalised and Council was now required to submit its budget and strategic plan. As initially indicated, the Strategic Planning Workshop would be held from 8th to 14th December, 2025 in Masvingo.
“He highlighted that Council had failed to secure a suitable venue for the workshop in Gweru and it could only be found in Masvingo.” He stressed the importance of councillors’ participation.
“He further emphasised that the workshop was important for Councillors, as they would contribute to the formulation of the City’s vision for the next five years.
“At this workshop, Council would review the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan and formulate the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, the 2026 Annual Plan, the Town Clerk’s contract, and the Mayor’s contract.”
BULAWAYO – Mayor David Coltart has met football legend Madinda Ndlovu to discuss ways of promoting soccer in the city, including the establishment of a football academy to nurture young talent.
Coltart revealed details of the meeting through a post on his Facebook account, where he described it as “superb” and highlighted the involvement of sportswriter Lovemore Dube and former player Zenzo Ndlovu.
“The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the City of Bulawayo can support the work they and Zenzo Ndlovu are doing to promote football in the City,” Coltart said.
A key proposal from the discussions was the creation of a Trust to honour Peter and Madinda Ndlovu, which would serve as the vehicle for establishing a football academy in Bulawayo.
Coltart pledged to use his office to support the initiative, describing it as an exciting opportunity for the city’s sporting future.
The meeting also explored the possibility of forging links between Bulawayo City Council and the City of Coventry, reflecting the Ndlovu brothers’ strong ties to English football.
BULAWAYO’S corridors of power have become a stage for political theatre, with Mayor David Coltart and his deputy, Edwin Ndlovu, locked in a feud that feels less like governance and more like a slow-motion implosion.
Beneath the drama lies a sobering truth: the city’s leadership model is cracking under its own weight.
The duelling Press releases over what did or did not happen in a chaotic council meeting are not just about the contract of one official; they are a cry for help from a system desperately in need of new blood, fresh thinking, and a decisive break from the politics of the past.
At the heart of the dispute is town clerk Christopher Dube. The core question, however, is not whether his contract should be extended by one year or five. The real issue is why a modern city, facing immense challenges, is expending all its political capital on extending the tenure of a senior bureaucrat rather than on a visionary plan for the future.
Mayor Coltart paints a picture of “mayhem, slanderous comments, threats and shouting,” rendering the meeting unlawful. Deputy Mayor Ndlovu counters with a tale of a “vibrant but orderly” debate that proceeded legally after the mayor’s departure. They cannot both be right. This fundamental breakdown in trust at the highest level of city leadership is paralysing. How can a city move forward when its leaders cannot even agree on the basic facts of a meeting?
This chaos is a gift to the status quo. While councillors are busy arguing over procedural technicalities and trading accusations, the pressing issues facing Bulawayo — failing infrastructure, water shortages, economic stagnation — are put on hold. The focus is inward, on personal allegiances and political power plays, rather than outward, on service delivery and innovation.
The specific argument over Statutory Instrument 197/2024 is a case in point. The call for legal clarity before action is the hallmark of prudent management. It seeks to avoid future litigation and set a clean precedent. The dismissal of this, in favour of simply exercising council power, reflects a more impulsive, politically-driven approach. This clash between cautious procedure and bullish assertion is at the core of the city’s stagnation.
But let’s be clear: this is not just about two men disagreeing. It is about a system that prioritises job security for the connected over competitive hiring for the competent. By fighting to lock in a town clerk until 2030 without a transparent, competitive process, the council is signalling that the future of Bulawayo’s administration is not open to new talent, new ideas, or a new direction.
What Bulawayo needs is not a five-year extension of the old guard, but a five-year plan infused with innovation. We need leaders who are debating the merits of smart water meters, not the minutiae of retirement ages. We need a council that is obsessed with attracting tech startups and manufacturing hubs, not with securing the positions of incumbent managers.
The bitter dispute at City Hall is a powerful argument for term limits, for robust independent oversight, and for a recruitment process that looks beyond the usual suspects.
The energy spent on this conflict should have been channelled into a city-wide conversation about what kind of Bulawayo we want to build for the next generation.
The people of Bulawayo deserve a local Government that is focused on them, not on itself. It is time to demand that our councillors stop their bickering, look beyond the council chamber walls, and remember who they serve.
The future of our city will not be found in extending the contracts of the past, but in having the courage to hire for the challenges of tomorrow.
The chaos engulfing the Bulawayo City Council has been linked to manoeuvres by what has been described as Harare-based cartels that are angling for multi-million tenders for various projects under the jurisdiction of the local authority.
On Friday, Bulawayo mayor David Coltart revealed that the fight over town clerk Christopher Dube’s contract renewal has split councillors amid allegations that those, who are opposed to the extension were receiving threats from unknown people.
Coltart said at one point he had to abandon a meeting he was chairing to deliberate on Dube’s contract after it “rapidly degenerated into total disorder,” with councillors trading insults and threats.
The town clerk’s contract expired last year, but he was handed a year extension before he requested that it be extended until he reaches the new government retirement age of 70 according to new government regulations.
A dispute erupted among councillors and the mayor, which saw Local Government minister Daniel Garwe and Provincial Affairs minister Judith Ncube entering the fray.
Garwe is said to have advised council to seek guidance from the Attorney General’s office as extending Dube’s contract could have wider implications on the local authority’s human resources.
The minister’s intervention, however, did not stop those pushing for the contract extension and some Bulawayo councillors have since revealed that bribes from the alleged Harare cartels and threats of physical harm were now fuelling the chaos.
One councillor said the tenderpreneurs, some who have secured multimillion dollar contracts in Harare, were using bribes and state security agents to divide Bulawayo councillors.
He said Dube had become a pawn in the game as the tendepreneurs believe he could be manipulated to do their own bidding because of his precarious contract position.
Most of the tenderpreneurs are linked to the ruling Zanu PF party. Another councillor cited a case where a named Harare-based businessman has been lobbying council for a tender to provide critical services for 30 years.
“We propose to implement this project under a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) contract for a period of 30 years,” reads a confidential letter addressed to then acting Town Clerk Sikhangele Zhou and Dube dated December 13, 2024.
The letter by the Harare based businessman’s company was addressed to Garwe, Coltart, chief secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya, as well as Local Government permanent secretary John Basera.
Councillors rejected the proposal in an August full council meeting, but that has not stopped the company from reaching out to individual councillors, sources said.
It is said that councillors have proposed that a local entity be given the tender.
Four Bulawayo companies have submitted their expressions of interest for the particular project.
The fallout over Dube’s contract and the unsolicited is said to have seen some councillors working to sabotage projects initiated by Coltart.
The projects include the proposed Glassblock Dam, a medium-term solution to the city’s water shortages.
The dam to be built on the Mzingwane River will have a capacity of 130 million cubic metres of water.
The estimated cost of constructing the Glassblock Dam is US$100 million and council envisages working with private investors to bring it to fruition.
Coltart said council remained committed to finding a lawful resolution to the impasse over Dube’s contract.
“The general purposes committee, which I chair, remains committed to finding a lawful and rational resolution to this situation but cannot do so in the face of brazenly illegal conduct and in a climate of fear, threats and intimidation,” he told journalists in Bulawayo on Friday.
“Indeed the current situation, where the pursuit of personal interests is crowding out attention being given to the serious challenges facing the city, is shameful and must immediately end in the best interests of the people we serve, namely the residents of the City of Bulawayo.”
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 Sengezo Tshabungu 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.
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 journalists on Friday that meetings to discuss Dube’s contract “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.
