Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has made an impassioned national appeal for meaningful local government reform and greater support from central government, warning that under the current Urban Councils Act, city leaders lack the authority and resources to adequately address deteriorating service delivery.
Speaking during a full council meeting, Coltart admitted that while councillors and mayors are held accountable by the public for the city’s state, they operate under severely constrained powers.
“I am a ceremonial mayor, and in many respects, councillors are ceremonial too,” Coltart said. “Under the Urban Councils Act, there is very limited power bestowed on us to address the core issues our communities face daily.”
The mayor stressed that urgent national attention is needed to improve local government capacity and that the worsening state of roads, water infrastructure, and public lighting across Bulawayo is symptomatic of a broader national failure to decentralize power effectively.
“We are deeply concerned about the lack of development in our city, and this concern cuts across all political persuasions and wards,” he said. “Give us the tools, and we will complete the job. This should not be about them and us — this has to be a collective exercise between local councils and central government.”
Coltart referenced President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent remarks, where the president underscored the importance of local authorities playing a central role in development. The mayor said this national vision must now be matched with real financial and legislative support.
He also pointed to internal council issues, calling for better coordination across key committees — particularly finance and audit — to ensure budgets align with service delivery priorities.
“Many of the problems we face aren’t just engineering or environmental — they are about how we spend our money. Are we setting our priorities correctly?” Coltart asked.
His remarks come as cities across Zimbabwe, from Harare to Mutare, face mounting pressure to improve service delivery amid shrinking budgets, weak infrastructure, and public discontent.
