WAR ERUPTS IN VARAKASHI CAMP! ANDREW PASINAWAKO WARNS GODWIN NKHATHA: “WE KNOW YOU RUBBISH!”

 

ANTI-PRESIDENTIAL INSULT BOSS ACCUSES VARAKASHI CHAIRMAN OF PLAYING BOTH SIDES IN MNANGAGWA–CHIWENGA SUCCESSION BATTLE, THREATENS TO EXPOSE HIM 

HARARE- A fresh storm has erupted within the ZANU-PF-aligned Varakashi camp after Andrew Pasinawako, who identifies himself as the “Anti Presidential Insult Boss,” publicly issued a warning to Godwin Nkhatha, the group's National Chairman, accusing him of allegedly pretending to be loyal to President Emmerson Mnangagwa while keeping his options open in the escalating succession battle involving Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.

In a strongly worded message directed at Nkhatha, Pasinawako questioned the Varakashi chairman's commitment to Mnangagwa, accusing him of sitting on the fence as political tensions continue over the country's leadership and the future direction of ZANU-PF.

“STOP YOUR FAKE LOYALTY TO THE PRESIDENT WE KNOW YOU RUBBISH,” Pasinawako declared in his message.

He further alleged that Nkhatha was waiting to see how the contest between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga unfolds before deciding which side to support.

“You are sitting on the fence waiting to see who will win between President Mnangagwa and VP Chiwenga and you are not a foot soldier of Mnangagwa,” Pasinawako wrote.

‘YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO SWITCH SIDES’

Pasinawako went further, alleging that Nkhatha would be among the first to abandon Mnangagwa should the President lose his grip on power.

“You are the first person to switch sides when Mnangagwa falls,” he charged.

The message ended with a direct warning that more allegations could be made public, suggesting that the dispute between the two figures may not be over.

“WILL EXPOSE YOU MORE WAIT AND SEE, SORRY I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND. BE WARNED,” Pasinawako wrote, adding several warning emojis.

The accusations have raised questions about the relationships and internal disagreements within the online networks associated with ZANU-PF, particularly at a time when the question of succession has become a prominent subject of political debate.

VARAKASHI LOYALTY UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT?

The public confrontation also puts the spotlight on the meaning of political loyalty within the Varakashi movement. Pasinawako's allegations suggest that he believes some individuals who publicly express support for Mnangagwa may be keeping their political options open amid uncertainty over the party's future leadership.

However, his claims remain allegations, and the message itself does not independently establish whether Nkhatha has been playing both sides. Nkhatha's response, if any, would be important in understanding the dispute.

The clash also raises a broader question: when political alliances are tested by a succession contest, how do supporters distinguish genuine loyalty from strategic positioning?

For now, Pasinawako has made his position clear: he is openly challenging Nkhatha and warning that further revelations may expose him

CHINAMASA UNDER FIRE! MAPURANGA RIPS INTO HIM OVER MOHADI, ASKS “WHERE WAS HE IN 2017?” AS ZANU PF SUCCESSION FIGHTS INTENSIFY!

‘NEVER THE RIFLE, ALWAYS THE BRIEFCASE!’ — RETIRED GENERAL DRAGS 2017 HISTORY INTO ZANU PF’S LOYALTY BATTLE AS CHIWENGA’S ROLE RETURNS TO THE SPOTLIGHT!

Zimbabwe’s explosive ZANU PF succession politics have taken another dramatic turn after retired Lieutenant General Winston Sigauke Mapuranga launched a blistering attack on party heavyweight Patrick Chinamasa over his praise for Vice President Kembo Mohadi’s loyalty to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mapuranga is questioning why Mohadi is being celebrated for his loyalty while General Constantino Chiwenga’s role in the dramatic events that led to Mnangagwa’s rise to power in November 2017 appears to be receiving less recognition.

And he did not mince his words!

‘WHERE WAS MOHADI IN 2017?’

In a fiery statement, Mapuranga challenged Chinamasa’s assessment of loyalty, arguing that Chiwenga’s contribution to the events of 2017 cannot simply be brushed aside.

“Where was Mohadi at that critical moment?” Mapuranga asked.

The retired general argued that praising Mohadi while overlooking Chiwenga amounted to what he described as a selective reading of history.

In November 2017, Chiwenga, then commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, played a central role in the military intervention that preceded Robert Mugabe’s resignation and Mnangagwa’s eventual assumption of the presidency.

For Mapuranga, that history raises uncomfortable questions about how loyalty is defined and whose contribution is recognised within the ruling party.

Is loyalty being measured by support for the current president, or should the sacrifices and political risks taken during the struggle that brought him to power also count?

That is the question now hanging over the latest war of words.

‘NEVER THE RIFLE, ALWAYS THE BRIEFCASE!’

Mapuranga went beyond questioning Chinamasa’s remarks, launching a personal attack on the veteran politician’s liberation-era credentials.

“Never the rifle, always the briefcase. Never the sacrifice, always the reward,” he declared.

He accused Chinamasa of having spent the liberation years outside the armed struggle and criticised his alleged association with the Internal Settlement associated with Bishop Abel Muzorewa during the final years of white-minority rule in Rhodesia.

Mapuranga contrasted Chinamasa’s legal and political career with the experiences of those who fought against the Rhodesian government.

The retired general also accused Chinamasa of lecturing liberation fighters about loyalty despite what Mapuranga considers a questionable historical record.

These are Mapuranga’s allegations and political characterisations; they have not been independently established by the statement itself.

Nevertheless, his intervention has injected a fresh dose of historical controversy into an already sensitive debate within ZANU PF.

CHIWENGA’S 2017 CONTRIBUTION: WHY IS IT BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT?

The dispute comes as questions surrounding Mnangagwa’s succession and Chiwenga’s political future continue to attract attention.

Chiwenga was a key figure in the 2017 events that ended Mugabe’s presidency and paved the way for Mnangagwa to take power. The two men subsequently occupied the country’s top executive positions, with Chiwenga becoming vice president.

Their shared political history has remained an important reference point in discussions about loyalty, influence and succession within ZANU PF.

Mapuranga’s argument is that Chiwenga’s role in that defining moment should not be ignored when senior party figures discuss who has demonstrated loyalty to Mnangagwa.

But the bigger political question is whether public praise for one senior figure, without equivalent recognition of another, should automatically be interpreted as a message about the party’s succession dynamics.

The latest exchange does not, by itself, establish Chinamasa’s intentions. It does, however, reveal how easily discussions about loyalty can become entangled with competing interpretations of ZANU PF’s history.

‘CHINHOYI IS COMING’ — WHAT DOES MAPURANGA MEAN?

Mapuranga ended his statement with a provocative declaration:

“Chinhoyi is coming. The rats should stay in their holes.”

The statement's intended meaning and target were not explained in the material provided, leaving the phrase open to interpretation.

However, its combative language adds to the intensity of the exchange, with Mapuranga presenting his intervention as a defence of the historical record of those who participated in the liberation struggle.

Whether the phrase refers to a political gathering, a historical reference or something else remains unclear.

ZANU PF’S LOYALTY TEST: WHO GETS RECOGNISED AND WHO GETS LEFT OUT?

The controversy raises a broader question about the ruling party’s internal political culture.

When a senior figure praises one leader for loyalty to the president, can that praise be separated from the party’s succession calculations?

And when another influential figure challenges that assessment by invoking the events of 2017, is the dispute simply about historical recognition, or does it also reflect competing interests within the ruling establishment?

Those questions cannot be answered by Mapuranga’s statement alone. But his intervention has placed Chinamasa’s remarks, Mohadi’s loyalty and Chiwenga’s historical role at the centre of a fresh political argument.

For Zimbabweans watching developments within the ruling party, the exchange offers another reason to pay attention to how senior figures speak about loyalty, history and the country's political future.

GREEN GALAXY MEDIA ASKS: Was Chinamasa wrong to praise Mohadi’s loyalty without giving equal recognition to Chiwenga’s role in 2017?

 Is Mapuranga defending the historical record, or has the debate over liberation credentials become part of ZANU PF’s wider succession battle?

 And what exactly did he mean when he declared, “Chinhoyi is coming”?

DROP YOUR VIEWS IN THE COMMENTS!

#GreenGalaxyMedia #ZimbabwePolitics #ZANUPF #Mnangagwa #Chiwenga #KemboMohadi #PatrickChinamasa #WinstonMapuranga #ZANUPFSuccession #SayingItAsItIs

TEMBA MLISWA DROPS BOMBSHELL: ZIYAMBI ZIYAMBI’S ‘GANG OF FOUR’ ACCUSED OF PLOTTING A PROCEDURAL COUP AGAINST MNANGAGWA!

HARARE — Outspoken politician Temba Mliswa has made explosive allegations against ZANU-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi and a group he calls the “Gang of Four,” accusing them of allegedly attempting to corner President Emmerson Mnangagwa through what he described as a “procedural coup” within the ruling party.

The allegations follow the sudden cancellation of a ZANU-PF Politburo meeting, which Mliswa claims was deliberately stopped to prevent an alleged internal power play against Mnangagwa.

According to Mliswa, the group had intended to push through a series of far-reaching measures without the knowledge or approval of Mnangagwa, the party’s First Secretary, or its Secretary General.

“These were not party positions; they were the product of power-hungry scheming by a group intent on cornering due process,” Mliswa said, describing the alleged manoeuvre as an ill-conceived plan that was detected and blocked before it could be executed.

WAS THE CANCELLED MEETING MORE THAN JUST A SCHEDULING ISSUE?

Mliswa’s claims add another layer of intrigue to the ongoing debate surrounding ZANU-PF’s internal power struggles, with questions emerging over who is driving key decisions within the party and whether all senior officials are on the same page.

He further alleged that the group he accused has never been genuinely committed to ZANU-PF’s “2030 agenda” and Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), placing their political loyalties under scrutiny.

However, Mliswa did not present publicly verifiable evidence in the statement to substantiate the alleged plot, and the accusations should be treated as claims rather than established facts.

JEALOUSY MAWARIRE DRAGGED INTO THE FIGHT

Mliswa also turned his attention to political commentators and opposition voices, singling out Jealousy Mawarire for allegedly exaggerating internal ZANU-PF disputes and portraying them as evidence of a broader political confrontation.

He accused such commentators of feeding off internal party disagreements to maintain their political relevance, arguing that they were turning internal developments into narratives that suited their own agendas.

Mliswa also criticised the alleged tendency to portray Vice President Constantino Chiwenga as the central figure in every ZANU-PF factional dispute, describing him as a “poster figure for every factional illusion”.

WHO REALLY BENEFITED FROM THE CANCELLATION?

In a twist to the political narrative, Mliswa argued that those celebrating the cancellation of the Politburo meeting had misunderstood what had happened.

Rather than representing a setback for Mnangagwa, he suggested the postponement had protected the President from being cornered by his own party officials.

His remarks raise fresh questions about the competing interests within ZANU-PF, the politics surrounding the 2030 agenda and CAB3, and the extent to which internal disagreements are shaping the party’s future.

For now, Mliswa’s allegations have added fuel to the debate over succession, loyalty and the balance of power inside Zimbabwe’s ruling party.

IS ZANU-PF DEALING WITH A ROUTINE INTERNAL DISPUTE, OR IS A MUCH BIGGER POWER STRUGGLE UNFOLDING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?

What do you think? Is the cancelled meeting evidence of internal manoeuvring, or are political figures reading too much into the developments?

TEMBA MLISWA FIRES BACK AT JEALOUSY MAWARIRE OVER ZANU PF FACTIONAL FIGHTS: “THEY WERE PROTECTING MNANGAGWA”

FORMER MP CLAIMS CANCELLED POLITBURO MEETING THWARTED A MOVE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT AS DEBATE OVER ZANU PF SUCCESSION INTENSIFIES

Former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has weighed in on the growing debate surrounding alleged factional fights within ZANU PF, accusing political commentators, including Jealousy Mawarire, of exaggerating internal party developments to portray President Emmerson Mnangagwa as being under siege.

In a Facebook post titled “SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT,” Mliswa challenged the narrative surrounding the cancellation of a scheduled ZANU PF Politburo meeting, arguing that the decision was intended to protect Mnangagwa rather than undermine him.

Mliswa accused what he described as opposition fringe elements of relying on alleged divisions within the ruling party to maintain their political relevance, claiming they were turning internal party discussions into evidence of a wider political crisis.

“What transpired yesterday bears no resemblance whatsoever to the sensational narrative Jealousy has desperately attempted to sell to the public,” Mliswa wrote.

He also criticised what he characterised as the tendency to portray Vice President Constantino Chiwenga as the central figure in every reported ZANU PF factional dispute.

MLISWA ALLEGES A PLOT AGAINST MNANGAGWA

In his account of the events leading to the cancellation of the Politburo meeting, Mliswa alleged that the postponement prevented a group of senior party figures from introducing constitutional changes without the knowledge or approval of Mnangagwa and the party's Secretary-General.

He identified the group as a “Gang of Four” and named ZANU PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi as one of its alleged members.

According to Mliswa, the group was not genuinely committed to the 2030 agenda and Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), which are associated with efforts to extend Mnangagwa's political tenure.

Mliswa further alleged that the proposed constitutional changes would separate the positions of ZANU PF President and State President, potentially allowing the party leader to exercise powers over the removal of the person holding the country's presidency.

He argued that such changes would create a mechanism through which a party president could engineer the recall of a sitting State President.

“These were not party positions; they were the product of power-hungry scheming by a group intent on cornering due process,” he claimed.

These allegations remain Mliswa's account of the events and would require independent confirmation of the proposed amendments, their authorship and the circumstances surrounding the meeting's cancellation.

“A PROCEDURAL COUP” AGAINST MNANGAGWA?

Mliswa went further, describing the alleged attempt to introduce the constitutional changes as a “procedural coup” against Mnangagwa.

He maintained that the move had been detected and blocked before it could be implemented, insisting that the cancellation of the meeting was necessary to prevent what he portrayed as an attempt to weaken the President's position within the ruling party.

The former legislator argued that commentators portraying the cancelled meeting as evidence of Mnangagwa's vulnerability were misreading the situation.

In his view, the intervention was designed to protect the President from an alleged manoeuvre by people within his own political establishment.

“It is therefore deeply ironic that in their excitable haste to attack President Mnangagwa, characters like Jealousy find themselves celebrating an intervention that was in fact mounted to protect the very leader they claim is under siege,” Mliswa wrote.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE ZANU PF SUCCESSION BATTLE?

The controversy comes amid continuing public debate over ZANU PF's internal power dynamics, the 2030 agenda, CAB3 and the political future of Mnangagwa and Chiwenga.

While Mliswa's post offers an alternative explanation for the cancelled Politburo meeting, it also introduces fresh allegations about divisions among senior party figures and disagreements over proposed constitutional changes.

His account challenges the interpretation that the cancellation necessarily demonstrated weakness on Mnangagwa's part. Instead, he presents it as evidence that those around the President were acting to safeguard his position.

However, the competing interpretations raise important questions: What constitutional amendments were actually due to be discussed? Who proposed them, and were they formally submitted for consideration? What reasons did party officials give for cancelling the meeting?

Until those questions are answered with verifiable evidence, Mliswa's claims should be distinguished from independently established facts.

For a party whose internal decisions can have consequences for Zimbabwe's national leadership, the dispute highlights how disagreements over succession, constitutional reform and political authority can quickly become subjects of competing public narratives.

THE BIG QUESTION: Was the cancelled Politburo meeting an effort to protect Mnangagwa from an alleged internal manoeuvre, as Mliswa claims, or does the episode point to deeper disagreements within ZANU PF over the party's future leadership?

#GreenGalaxyMedia #ZANUPF #TembaMliswa #JealousyMawarire #Mnangagwa #Chiwenga #CAB3 #ZimbabwePolitics

ZANU PF MEMBER TINO CHIBAGE NYAMHANDU TAUNTS CHIWENGA: “IF YOU ARE JEALOUS OF MNANGAGWA, YOU WILL NEVER RECOVER!”

A Zanu PF member has weighed in on the reported tensions between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, declaring that anyone jealous of the President will never recover from their jealousy.

In a Facebook post, Tinotenda Chibage Nyamhandu wrote:

“UKARWADZWA NAPRESIDENT ED MNANGAGWA HAUPORE. The Zim Constitution & Zanu PF Constitution give President ED Mnangagwa authority to appoint or fire anyone. NGWENA INOITA SEYAKANYARARA ASI ICHIONA ZVAYO.”

The Shona statement means: “If you are jealous of President ED Mnangagwa, you will never recover from your jealousy.”

Nyamhandu's message also invokes the popular crocodile proverb, “Ngwena inoita seyakanyarara asi ichiona zvayo,” meaning that the crocodile may appear quiet, but it is watching everything.

The reference is to Mnangagwa's nickname, “Ngwena” (The Crocodile), and appears to suggest that the President should not be underestimated, even when he seems silent.

Although Nyamhandu did not explicitly name Chiwenga as the target of his remarks, the post has attracted attention amid growing speculation about divisions within Zanu PF over succession politics and proposed constitutional changes.

POLITBURO MEETING COLLAPSE FUELS SPECULATION

The remarks come after a Zanu PF politburo meeting scheduled for Friday at the party headquarters in Harare was abruptly abandoned after members had already gathered.

Party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa and information director Farai Marapira reportedly attributed the postponement to a “clash of programmes.”

However, reports in the private media suggested that resistance from Chiwenga to proposed amendments to the Zanu PF constitution may have contributed to the meeting's cancellation.

The proposed changes are reportedly intended to align the party constitution with Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 3, signed by Mnangagwa in July.

The national amendment proposes extending presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, shifting the next elections from 2028 to 2030 and replacing direct presidential elections with parliamentary selection.

Unverified accounts circulating online allege that Chiwenga demanded to see the draft party amendments and questioned whether the proposed national constitutional changes originated from the people.

These claims have not been independently verified, and neither Mnangagwa nor Chiwenga has publicly commented on the alleged confrontation.

Former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has dismissed reports of a confrontation as “absolute lies.”

“THE PRESIDENT HAS THE POWER TO APPOINT OR FIRE ANYONE”

In his post, Nyamhandu went beyond the issue of jealousy, arguing that both the national Constitution and the Zanu PF constitution give Mnangagwa the authority to appoint or remove individuals from positions of power.

Under Zimbabwe's Constitution, the President appoints Vice Presidents and has the power to remove them from office. Within Zanu PF, Mnangagwa also serves as First Secretary and wields considerable influence over party appointments.

His comments come as the ruling party prepares for its 23rd National People's Conference, scheduled for October 12–17 at Chinhoyi University of Technology, against the backdrop of increasingly intense debate over succession and the proposed extension of presidential terms.

Whether Nyamhandu's remarks were specifically aimed at Chiwenga remains unclear. Nevertheless, the timing has added another voice to the growing public debate about the relationship between Zimbabwe's two most powerful political figures.

IS THIS A WARNING SHOT IN ZANU PF'S SUCCESSION BATTLE?

With the 2028 election timetable at the centre of the constitutional debate, speculation about who will eventually lead Zanu PF continues to attract attention.

Nyamhandu's message appears to portray Mnangagwa as a leader whose position and authority should not be underestimated, while suggesting that jealousy of his power is futile.

But the bigger question remains: Is this simply a party member defending Mnangagwa, or does it reflect the growing anxiety surrounding succession politics inside Zanu PF?

CCC FACTION DISOWNS COLTART RECALL LETTERS, WARNS OF ‘EXTORTION’ PLOT

A faction of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has rejected letters sent to Parliament and the government seeking the recall of Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart, three Members of Parliament and a senator, describing the move as illegitimate and an attempt to destabilise the opposition party.

In a statement issued today, interim national spokesperson Nqobizitha Mlilo said the purported recalls had no factual, political or legal basis and did not represent the party’s position.

The letters, dated 7 October and stamped as received today, were addressed to Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda, Senate President Senator Mabel Chinomona and Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe.

They claimed that Coltart, Bulawayo Central MP Surrender Kapoikilu, Mbizo MP Corban Madzivanyika, Epworth North MP Togarepi Zivai Mhetu and Bulawayo Senator Kucaca Ivumile Phulu had ceased to be CCC members.

The letters subsequently called on the authorities to act in accordance with Section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution, a provision concerning the vacation of parliamentary seats under specified circumstances.

However, Mlilo's faction has distanced itself from the correspondence, alleging that certain individuals were abusing the recall process to intimidate elected representatives and force them to demonstrate political allegiance.

According to the statement, internal investigations had identified those allegedly responsible for the letters, although the faction did not publicly disclose their identities.

The faction further accused the individuals involved of attempting to destabilise the party from within, warning that their actions could amount to contempt of court.

It said lawyers had been engaged to advise on a permanent resolution to the dispute, while assuring its elected representatives that their positions remained secure until at least 2030.

TSHABANGU'S NAME RETURNS TO THE RECALL CONTROVERSY

The latest development has drawn attention because the letters reportedly bear the same Bulawayo address and CCC letterhead associated with the office of Senator Sengezo Tshabangu.

Tshabangu became a central figure in Zimbabwe's opposition politics in October 2023 after his recall letters led Speaker Mudenda to declare 15 opposition legislators' seats vacant.

The latest dispute therefore raises fresh questions about internal divisions within the CCC and the continued use of parliamentary recalls in the party's political battles.

Mlilo, who has served as Tshabangu's spokesperson since the party split, is now publicly rejecting the latest recall correspondence on behalf of his faction.

The controversy also revives an earlier dispute involving Bulawayo Mayor Coltart. Last year, Tshabangu denied reports that his faction was plotting to remove the mayor, insisting that he had no intention of ousting him.

With the latest letters now disowned by Mlilo's faction, the immediate question is whether Parliament and the Ministry of Local Government will act on the correspondence or await further clarification.

For now, the CCC's internal divisions remain in the spotlight, with rival political interests and the threat of recalls continuing to cast a shadow over the opposition party.

CCC RECALLS COLTART: IS BULAWAYO BEING CLEARED FOR MNANGAGWA-LINKED WASTE DEAL?

BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE — The political war over Bulawayo's waste management contract has taken a dramatic turn after Mayor David Coltart was recalled from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), raising fresh questions about the future of the city's refuse collection services and the growing influence of politically connected business interests.

In a letter dated 7 October 2026 and received by the Ministry of Local Government on 9 October, the CCC faction led by Mbuso Siso informed Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe that Coltart, the Ward 4 councillor, had "ceased to be a member" of the party.

The faction asked the minister to invoke Section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution, which provides for the removal of a legislator or councillor who ceases to belong to the political party under which they were elected.

But the timing of the recall has fuelled suspicion, with Coltart having been at loggerheads with fellow councillors over the proposed involvement of Geo Pomona Waste Management in Bulawayo.

WAS REFUSING GEO POMONA THE MAYOR'S BIGGEST MISTAKE?

At the centre of the controversy is Geo Pomona Waste Management, a company fronted by businessman Dilesh Nguwaya, who has been reported to have close links to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's family.

The company has announced plans to expand its operations across Zimbabwe's provinces, with Bulawayo emerging as another battleground over its proposed waste management involvement.

Coltart resisted the company's entry into Bulawayo, while a group of councillors reportedly favoured engaging the firm.

The dispute intensified as the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) reportedly urged the city to engage Geo Pomona.

For critics of the proposed arrangement, the mayor's removal raises an uncomfortable question: was Coltart being punished politically for refusing to support a controversial business deal?

There is, however, no independently established evidence in the information provided that the recall was orchestrated specifically to secure a Geo Pomona contract.

HARARE'S US$3 MILLION WARNING TO BULAWAYO

Bulawayo residents have every reason to pay close attention to developments in their city.

In Harare, the Geo Pomona arrangement has attracted intense public scrutiny, with the capital reportedly paying close to US$3 million per month for refuse collection and street cleaning.

Questions surrounding the costs, transparency and value for money of the arrangement have made the deal a lightning rod for criticism.

Now, with Coltart out of the way politically, residents fear Bulawayo could face similar pressures to accept a deal they have not been adequately consulted about.

Will the city insist on a transparent procurement process, competitive pricing and clear performance guarantees, or will political manoeuvres determine who manages its waste?

For ordinary residents struggling with municipal charges and service delivery challenges, the consequences could extend well beyond City Hall.

FROM DENIAL TO RECALL: WHAT CHANGED?

The recall follows months of tension between Coltart and the CCC faction associated with Sengezo Tshabangu.

The mayor had reportedly faced mounting pressure after snubbing a meeting officiated by Paul Tungwarara, an advisor to President Mnangagwa.

When reports of a possible recall first emerged, Tshabangu reportedly dismissed the claims in comments to CITE, arguing that the CCC could not unilaterally remove Coltart under the Urban Councils Act.

Yet the faction has now moved to recall him, a development likely to intensify questions about the party's internal authority and the legal basis for its decisions.

The constitutional process governing recalls, the faction's standing and any potential legal challenge could become central to the next phase of the dispute.

COLTART IS NOT THE ONLY CASUALTY

The faction has also moved against four other opposition politicians.

In separate letters addressed to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda and Senate President Mabel Chinomona, it recalled:

Ivumile Kucaca Phulu — Bulawayo Senator.

Surrender Kapoikilu — Bulawayo Central MP.

Corban Madzivanyika — Mbizo MP.

Togarepi Zivai Mhetu — Epworth North MP.

The latest recalls add to a prolonged wave of expulsions and recalls conducted in the CCC's name since October 2023.

The political consequences have been significant, with opposition representation in Parliament and local authorities repeatedly disrupted, while ZANU-PF has benefited from divisions and vacancies within the opposition.

For a movement that emerged promising an alternative to ZANU-PF's long-standing dominance, the repeated recalls have become a major source of controversy.

WHO REALLY BENEFITS FROM COLTART'S EXIT?

The central issue is bigger than the fate of one mayor.

Bulawayo now faces a critical test: will its elected representatives prioritise residents' interests, transparent procurement and affordable municipal services, or will political factionalism and pressure from powerful commercial interests shape the city's decisions?

Coltart's critics may argue that a mayor must work with fellow councillors and remain accountable to his party. His supporters, meanwhile, may see the recall as a troubling development that risks sidelining resistance to a controversial corporate arrangement.

Neither interpretation should replace scrutiny of the actual contract, procurement records and the legal grounds for the recall.

But one thing is clear: when a mayor opposing a disputed business arrangement is recalled amid a bitter political feud, residents deserve answers.

Who stands to gain from the change in Bulawayo's political leadership? Will Geo Pomona now secure a foothold in the city? And who will protect ratepayers if the cost of refuse collection rises without a corresponding improvement in service delivery?

THE BIG QUESTION: IS BULAWAYO'S WASTE MANAGEMENT DISPUTE ABOUT CLEANING UP THE CITY — OR ABOUT WHO GETS TO CASH IN?

Green Galaxy Media — Saying it as it is.