Coltart of accused of cultural ignorance

Published: 1 hour ago

Zanu-PF has launched a robust defence of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's family, accusing Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart of misunderstanding African family structures and deliberately targeting the First Family through what it described as a coordinated political campaign.

The ruling party's Director of Information, Farai Marapira, dismissed allegations and insinuations surrounding gifts associated with members of the Mnangagwa family, arguing that critics had stripped the matter of its cultural context and reduced it to a political attack.

"The attacks on the First Family are very well coordinated, and there is a clear pattern and structure to them," Marapira said.

"It is unfortunate that the latest attack by David Coltart exposes a degree of cultural ignorance in his criticism."

Marapira's remarks came in response to comments by Coltart questioning displays of wealth linked to a recent high-profile wedding and broader concerns he has raised regarding governance, public expenditure and alleged corruption within Zimbabwe's political and business circles.

However, the Zanu-PF spokesperson said the criticism stemmed from a misunderstanding of African cultural traditions, particularly the concept of family and collective responsibility.

According to Marapira, Coltart had wrongly interpreted references to donations made by the President's "sons", assuming the term referred only to the President's biological children.

"When he speaks of 'sons', he appears to believe that a person's sons are only those born to him and his wife," Marapira said.

"We are Africans, and we believe in Ubuntu."

He explained that contributions attributed to the President's sons reflected donations made by members of the wider Mnangagwa family network, including relatives from across Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries.

"Therefore, when people say that the President's sons made a donation, they are referring to the sons of the entire clan coming together to contribute towards the wedding," he said.

"These include the sons of President Mnangagwa's brothers and extended family members."

Marapira argued that critics had focused on headline figures without appreciating the size of the extended family involved.

"If you consider the number of people involved, it becomes clear that the contribution from each individual was actually quite modest," he said.

"The Mnangagwa clan extends across Zimbabwe and Zambia, among other places."

He maintained that the donations should be viewed as a demonstration of family solidarity and communal support rather than through a political or financial lens.

"Any African family can relate to this," Marapira said.

"If you consider the sons within your own clan coming together to contribute towards a family occasion, you will recognise that this was more a demonstration of Ubuntu, family unity, and togetherness."

"It serves as an example of the importance of coming together as a family and how, when many people contribute, something substantial can be achieved."

While Coltart has called for greater scrutiny of wealth accumulation, public procurement practices and financial accountability, Marapira focused his response on defending the First Family against what he described as efforts to personalise wider political debates.

"My advice is that people should stop misrepresenting examples of unity and togetherness and attempting to reduce them to personal attacks on the President and his immediate family," he said.

The exchange has added to growing political debate surrounding wealth, accountability and governance in Zimbabwe. Opposition figures and government critics continue to demand greater transparency regarding public officials and those linked to them, while Zanu-PF maintains that allegations directed at the First Family are politically motivated.

At the centre of the dispute are competing interpretations of the donations. Coltart has questioned the scale of wealth associated with the wedding and called for closer scrutiny, while Zanu-PF insists the contributions were a collective effort by members of the wider Mnangagwa clan, reflecting African cultural traditions and the principle of Ubuntu.
- ZiFM Stereo