Bulawayo Councillors Clash Over Traditional Attire In Explosive Meeting
Chaos breaks out after councillors clash over refusal to wear traditional attire
BULAWAYO — Tempers flared and voices rose inside Bulawayo’s council chambers on Wednesday, 4 June 2025, as a dispute over traditional attire spiralled into chaos during the city’s 3 394th full council meeting. The row centred around three councillors who arrived without the required traditional dress, prompting an intense, hour-long confrontation that ended with one councillor walking out and the live feed of the session being abruptly cut off.
Ward 26 councillor Mpumelelo Moyo, who also chairs the influential Finance and Development Committee, stormed out of the session in protest after Mayor David Coltart allowed the trio to remain in the chamber despite a prior council resolution and a vote against their presence.
“We have a standing resolution on what we should wear,” said Cllr Moyo in a tense moment before his exit.
“But because you lost after voting in support of ignoring the resolution, now you are changing the game rules. This is tomfoolery — we can’t have this.”
The commotion took place during the city’s official commemorations of Bulawayo Day and the Bulawayo Arts Festival — events that have been promoted as symbols of cultural pride and identity.
Councillors defy resolution on traditional wear
At the heart of the clash was the decision by three councillors — Tinevimbo Maphosa (Ward 21), Nkosilathi Hove (Ward 6), and Donaldson Mabuto (Ward 9) — to attend the high-profile session in regular clothing, contrary to a resolution passed on 5 June 2024 that mandated all councillors and council staff to don traditional or African attire for such commemorations.
Ahead of the meeting, the Chamber Secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, had circulated a formal reminder of the rule.
“It shall be recalled that Council (5th June 2024) resolved that councillors and staff dress in traditional and African attire for every Bulawayo Day and Bulawayo Arts Festival Commemorations,” read part of Mrs Zhou’s memo.
“In the spirit of showcasing the city’s vibrant creative sector and arts scene… councillors are being reminded to dress in traditional and African attire for the 3 394th council meeting.”
The goal, she said, was to demonstrate that “cultural rights, in their diverse manifestations, occupy a place of pride in the city and its leadership.”
But that spirit was not shared by all. When the three councillors arrived without traditional clothing, debate immediately erupted. Arguments over whether to eject them continued for more than an hour, with councillors visibly divided. A vote was eventually held — 18 were against letting them remain, while 12 voted in favour of allowing them to participate.
Despite the majority vote, Mayor Coltart ruled that the trio could stay.
This sparked uproar in the chamber.
The live broadcast of the meeting — normally aired to ensure transparency — was cut shortly after.
Cultural identity or personal freedom?
Councillor Moyo’s dramatic walkout underscored the deep divisions within the council on the meaning and enforcement of cultural representation in local governance.
Some councillors argued that tradition should not be enforced through clothing rules.
“There are more pressing issues to discuss than clothes,” said one councillor who declined to be named.
“Let’s focus on roads, water, and waste management. The city is struggling, and we are wasting time on coats and cloth.”
Others, however, said the attire was symbolic and a public statement of unity.
“We made a resolution. If we start picking and choosing which ones to follow, then we are creating confusion,” argued another councillor.
“What message are we sending to the people of Bulawayo?”
This is not the first time the council has been divided over dress codes. In May 2025, councillors spent another hour debating Mayor Coltart’s decision to wear a coat instead of a full suit, again raising questions about image, symbolism, and decorum.
No action yet, but tensions linger
As of Thursday, no disciplinary action had been taken against the councillors who refused to wear traditional attire. It remains unclear whether any further consequences will follow, or if the matter will be revisited in future meetings.
The incident has drawn the attention of residents, civil society groups, and even cultural commentators, some of whom took to social media to express disappointment at the perceived erosion of African values, while others questioned the relevance of dress codes in a modern urban council.
The financial and administrative impact of the disrupted meeting is yet to be calculated, but early estimates suggest the delay could cost the city tens of thousands of Zimbabwean dollars or several hundred Rand (approximately R2,500–R5,000) in administrative inefficiencies.
In the meantime, observers are waiting to see whether council will reinforce the 2024 resolution or quietly allow it to fade.
As the city’s leadership grapples with service delivery, budget shortfalls, and public trust, Wednesday’s uproar has become a flashpoint — not just over clothing, but over identity, rules, and leadership.
