Bulawayo mayor, Mr David Coltart, says he will not resign from his position following the resignation of Mr Nelson Chamisa as president and member of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
In a statement, Mr Coltart said he will not succumb to pressure from his colleagues from the CCC, who subsequently resigned from Parliament in support of Mr Chamisa’s actions.
He said he undertook the decision after consultations with various people across the City of Bulawayo.
“I will not resign as Mayor of Bulawayo and will endeavour to see out my five-year term. I am conscious that I can be recalled at any time, but so be it. I would rather be removed from office by unscrupulous politicians than betray the trust and goodwill of innocent, hardworking, and principled residents of Bulawayo by resigning,” wrote Mr Coltart.
He said he will not be swayed by the ongoing rift within his party and will not take sides with anyone.
“In closing, I need to address two further issues, the one being any false perception that a decision not to resign is an indication that I have turned against Nelson Chamisa, the other being that I have made any such decision solely on the grounds of what I will gain out of it personally.
“Long before Nelson Chamisa resigned, I publicly expressed my sadness and regret about the apparent rift between Nelson Chamisa and Tendai Biti and Welshman Ncube. All three of these men are friends of mine with whom I have been in the trenches ever since the MDC was launched on the 11th September 1999.
“I have admired their resilience, bravery, and commitment to democracy and freedom all these years. I refuse to be cajoled into a zero-sum game, which pits me against any of these old and trusted colleagues,” said Mr Coltart.
More to follow…
