News / National
Harare ratepayers face US$3 million monthly bill in secretive deal
01 Jun 2025 at 14:20hrs | Views
Harare's ratepayers are set to pay nearly US$3 million every month for refuse collection and street cleaning under a murky new contract involving the government, the City of Harare (CoH), and Geo Pomona Waste Management. The secretive tripartite agreement, effective from November 25, 2024, spans at least five years, guaranteeing Geo Pomona a staggering minimum of US$162 million.
The capital has long struggled with waste management, a crisis the central government has seemingly exploited to impose Geo Pomona - a company linked to powerful ruling elites and controversial Eastern European business interests - as the dominant service provider.
An investigation by Truth Diggers, supported by Information for Development Trust (IDT), uncovered the contract involving the Local Government ministry, Harare municipality, and Geo Pomona. Critics warn the agreement risks draining the city council's limited resources while doing little to solve the worsening refuse crisis.
Though Clause 22 of the contract frames the government as the party responsible for financing the project, the fine print reveals the true financial burden falls on the City of Harare - and ultimately, its ratepayers. Clause 23 mandates that the municipality open its revenue account to government scrutiny and collect fees from residents to pay Geo Pomona.
"The client (CoH) shall continue to charge, bill and collect fees for services being provided by the contractor (Geo Pomona)," the leaked contract states. "The client shall remit to the contracting party (government) all revenue collected from users for services being provided by the contractor."
Geo Pomona, led locally by executive chairman Dilesh Nguwaya, was first imposed on Harare in 2022 to manage the Pomona landfill under a build-operate-transfer model. The company's parent, Geogenix BV, registered in the Netherlands, has ties to Albanian businessman Mirel Mertiri, who faces corruption allegations linked to incinerator projects.
Nguwaya himself was previously charged but acquitted in connection to US$60 million COVID-19 procurement contracts. He is reportedly close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's family and frequently attends state functions.
Under the original deal, CoH leased the Pomona dumpsite to Geo Pomona free of charge for 30 years, with an expectation that the company would earn as much as US$320 million from waste disposal fees billed at US$40 per tonne. When the council struggled to meet payment demands, the government promised to cover the costs through devolution funds.
The new contract extends Geo Pomona's mandate to cover street sweeping, refuse collection, and waste dumping across Harare, officially beginning February 10, 2025. Yet, the company's own admissions and field investigations show it remains ill-prepared, lacking the logistics and fleet necessary to deliver consistent service.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume signed the agreement despite earlier opposition and accusations from fellow councillors that he accepted a US$200,000 monthly bribe to back the deal - allegations he vehemently denies. He insists no payments have yet been made by the council, emphasizing the government's role as contracting party.
Political infighting within the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) played a role in the deal's approval. Mafume's alignment with CCC interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu, who favors closer ties with ZANU-PF, reportedly facilitated the agreement's passage despite widespread resistance.
Residents and civic groups remain unconvinced. Reuben Akili of the Combined Harare Residents Association describes Geo Pomona's initial waste collection efforts as a "stunt" lasting barely a month in February, with little sustained improvement.
Precious Shumba, director of the Harare Residents Trust, calls the deal a "cartel scheme" driven by corruption and elite interests, warning it will siphon public funds while worsening the city's waste crisis.
She recalled that the council formally canceled the original Geogenix deal in 2022 after a costly dispute but was later compelled to enter the current contract through government pressure.
Despite documented shortcomings, Geo Pomona's chairman revealed plans to expand the waste management model to other provinces. The company expects to receive hundreds of refuse trucks from Belarus in the coming months under a separate controversial arrangement sealed during President Mnangagwa's recent state visit.
Attempts to get comments from Geo Pomona, government officials, and the joint committee overseeing the contract have been unsuccessful.
As Harare ratepayers brace for another steep financial burden, questions remain about transparency, capacity, and whether this deal will ultimately deepen or alleviate the city's longstanding waste management woes.
The capital has long struggled with waste management, a crisis the central government has seemingly exploited to impose Geo Pomona - a company linked to powerful ruling elites and controversial Eastern European business interests - as the dominant service provider.
An investigation by Truth Diggers, supported by Information for Development Trust (IDT), uncovered the contract involving the Local Government ministry, Harare municipality, and Geo Pomona. Critics warn the agreement risks draining the city council's limited resources while doing little to solve the worsening refuse crisis.
Though Clause 22 of the contract frames the government as the party responsible for financing the project, the fine print reveals the true financial burden falls on the City of Harare - and ultimately, its ratepayers. Clause 23 mandates that the municipality open its revenue account to government scrutiny and collect fees from residents to pay Geo Pomona.
"The client (CoH) shall continue to charge, bill and collect fees for services being provided by the contractor (Geo Pomona)," the leaked contract states. "The client shall remit to the contracting party (government) all revenue collected from users for services being provided by the contractor."
Geo Pomona, led locally by executive chairman Dilesh Nguwaya, was first imposed on Harare in 2022 to manage the Pomona landfill under a build-operate-transfer model. The company's parent, Geogenix BV, registered in the Netherlands, has ties to Albanian businessman Mirel Mertiri, who faces corruption allegations linked to incinerator projects.
Nguwaya himself was previously charged but acquitted in connection to US$60 million COVID-19 procurement contracts. He is reportedly close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's family and frequently attends state functions.
Under the original deal, CoH leased the Pomona dumpsite to Geo Pomona free of charge for 30 years, with an expectation that the company would earn as much as US$320 million from waste disposal fees billed at US$40 per tonne. When the council struggled to meet payment demands, the government promised to cover the costs through devolution funds.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume signed the agreement despite earlier opposition and accusations from fellow councillors that he accepted a US$200,000 monthly bribe to back the deal - allegations he vehemently denies. He insists no payments have yet been made by the council, emphasizing the government's role as contracting party.
Political infighting within the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) played a role in the deal's approval. Mafume's alignment with CCC interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu, who favors closer ties with ZANU-PF, reportedly facilitated the agreement's passage despite widespread resistance.
Residents and civic groups remain unconvinced. Reuben Akili of the Combined Harare Residents Association describes Geo Pomona's initial waste collection efforts as a "stunt" lasting barely a month in February, with little sustained improvement.
Precious Shumba, director of the Harare Residents Trust, calls the deal a "cartel scheme" driven by corruption and elite interests, warning it will siphon public funds while worsening the city's waste crisis.
She recalled that the council formally canceled the original Geogenix deal in 2022 after a costly dispute but was later compelled to enter the current contract through government pressure.
Despite documented shortcomings, Geo Pomona's chairman revealed plans to expand the waste management model to other provinces. The company expects to receive hundreds of refuse trucks from Belarus in the coming months under a separate controversial arrangement sealed during President Mnangagwa's recent state visit.
Attempts to get comments from Geo Pomona, government officials, and the joint committee overseeing the contract have been unsuccessful.
As Harare ratepayers brace for another steep financial burden, questions remain about transparency, capacity, and whether this deal will ultimately deepen or alleviate the city's longstanding waste management woes.
Source - The Standard
