Bulawayo Council Pushes Back On Geo Pomona Deal
Bulawayo City Council has declined to commit to Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe’s one-week deadline for finalising a waste management agreement with Geo Pomona, while residents and civic groups are demanding that the proposed deal be opened to public scrutiny.
Council held an urgent meeting on Monday following Garwe’s 10 September directive. Mayor David Coltart said councillors had instead instructed management to obtain a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) from Geo Pomona before deciding on the matter.
Coltart said: “We have noted the directive and asked management to speak to Geo Pomona to obtain a draft MOU for further consideration by council. We have not set any time limits for this.”
Residents Demand Competitive Tender
A joint statement signed by 11 civic organisations said elected representatives should not sign the MOU before its contents are published and subjected to competitive tendering.
The groups said the process should comply with procurement requirements under Zimbabwean law. They also raised concerns over Geo Pomona chief executive Dilesh Nguwaya’s role as a presidential adviser on waste management.
The organisations said they supported efforts to address pollution and health risks at Richmond Landfill, known as Ngozi Mine, but insisted that residents’ interests and procurement procedures must be respected.
Garwe Threatens Government Intervention
Garwe visited Bulawayo on 10 September alongside Nguwaya and United Nations resident coordinator Rosemary Kalapurakal. He reportedly gave council one week to finalise the agreement and warned that central government could intervene if it failed to comply.
Garwe said Geo Pomona had received “cabinet authority” to replicate its Harare waste management model in major cities, including Bulawayo.
The civic groups have also called for existing local waste management businesses to be considered through a competitive process.
The dispute now centres on whether Bulawayo will proceed with the Geo Pomona proposal under the minister’s directive or subject the agreement to the scrutiny and procurement process demanded by residents and civic organisations.
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