Ward 5 Councillor Dumisani Nkomo, who is being tipped for Bulawayo’s deputy mayor post, has said he is not afraid of competition and is ready to fight for the position.
Nkomo’s comments come after it emerged that there was a plot by some councillors to defy the party’s choice for both the mayor and deputy mayor positions.
Ward 5 Councillor and former education minister, David Coltart, was publicly endorsed by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa as the next mayor of Bulawayo.
Councillors who spoke to CITE confirmed that interviews were conducted by party official and Senator, Gideon Shoko with other panelists, and Ward 9 Councillor Donaldson Mabuto was seconded for the post.
However, Nkomo said he was not aware of this process and alleged that it was conducted in a secretive manner.
“I was not aware that such a process was taking place. It was not done openly. Very few people knew about it. I personally do not recognise it,” he said.
“I believe in the cause of a progressive Bulawayo. I agreed to this challenge after serious consultations with family, friends and colleagues who also believe in the same cause. When I was approached, I gladly accepted the offer because I believe in a better Bulawayo. I don’t mind competition, there is nothing wrong with having various candidates to run for deputy mayor, what I am against is that this happens in a secretive manner.”
Nkomo noted that he is not afraid of competition and is ready to stand his ground to fight for the position.
“There are a lot of people opposed to this because of selfish reasons. They want to perpetuate corruption for their own benefit. They want to benefit through tenderpreneurship. I’m not that kind of a person. The reason why I was approached and asked to work with Coltart as his deputy is because they believed that I have the capability to do so. We are ready to fight for a noble cause, to fight those who want to drive corruption in a city that means so much to so many people,” he said.
Shoko declined to comment on the matter.
The election for the new mayor and deputy mayor of Bulawayo is scheduled to take place on Monday.
