We have followed, with interest, the ongoing developments on the Pomona dumpsite deal where the Minister of Local Government, Honorable July Moyo is pushing and defending the privatisation of the dumpsite. The deal was awarded to Geogenix BV, a Netherlands company.
The USD $344 million Pomona deal will cost residents of Harare twenty-two thousand United States Dollars (USD $22,000) per day for depositing waste.
The City of Harare did not go to tender for that project.
And, besides the tender point, the City of Harare actually struggles to collect litter around the city owing to lack of trucks and fuel to sort and carry the garbage.
The local runner for the project is Delish Nguwaya, an ex-convict and with a current case of looting sixty million United States Dollars (USD $60 million) for Covid 19 response in 2021.
The Harare City Council met to review this deal on the 2nd of June 2022 where they resolved to suspend the deal citing various reasons.
The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Hon July Moyo then issued a statement on June 3, 2022 and declared the project as subsisting. He even used harsh language like: “We condemn this conduct which amounts to cheap political grandstanding at the expense of the country.” The Minister also reduced a duly constituted Council meeting to “a group of councillors.”
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Position
We celebrate and fully support the poor residents of Harare and the City Council for stopping that stinking project.
Minister July Moyo’s hands are dirty. He has to choose whether he still represents the ordinary people of Zimbabwe who earn paltry Zimbabwean RTGS or international investors.
The City of Harare belongs to residents and not July Moyo and his capitalists.
Under what reasoning does July Moyo think a City Council that fails to adequately pay its workers, provide water to residents, improve roads and street lights would now find US$22,000 per day to pay for dumping waste?
The Governing ZANU PF party and its President, Emmerson Mnangagwa need to introspect whether this deal represents the “new dispensation” and remains in keeping with their promise of promoting and protecting the virtues of the liberation struggle. In the case before us, Minister Moyo is basically saying rubbish is more precious than people.
The sovereign people of Zimbabwe will always reject such corrupt stinking deals whether passed through Cabinet or not.
As guided by the Preamble of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, WE THE PEOPLE, we will conscientize and educate Zimbabweans to join hands and fight such corrupt and reactionary tendencies.
As done during the colonial regime, the great people of Zimbabwe, across the political, social, gender, class, ethnic and religious divide will join hands to fight corruption and its merchants.
A new, corruption free, democratic and developmental Zimbabwe is possible.
Source: Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition