The City of Kadoma is exploring the adoption of modern waste-to-energy and sustainable waste management systems after municipal officials toured the Geo Pomona Waste Management Site in Harare on Friday.
The delegation, led by acting town clerk Willard Mangwengwende, visited the facility to assess whether its integrated waste management model could be replicated to address growing waste challenges in the mining town.
Mangwengwende said the visit was aimed at helping the municipality evaluate modern waste management approaches before committing to similar infrastructure in Kadoma.
“We came here to appreciate how the system operates because we also intend to replicate something similar in Kadoma,” he said.
“We wanted to make an informed decision and I must say I was impressed by the facilities and the overall set-up.”
He said the Harare facility compares favourably with international standards, noting similarities with plants he had previously visited in South Africa.
The Pomona facility, operated by Geo Pomona Waste Management (Pvt) Ltd, was established in 2022 as part of efforts to transform Harare’s long-standing dumpsite into a modern waste management and energy generation centre.
Related Stories
According to the company’s executive chairperson and chief executive officer, Dilesh Nguwaya, the project has shifted perceptions of the Pomona site, which had for years been associated with environmental degradation.
“As you are aware, we started this project in 2022, but if you check the transformation, it is a big change. We changed the dumpsite to become a liveable place,” he said.
Nguwaya said the facility has become a learning centre for stakeholders interested in modern waste management systems.
“People are now coming here to learn and appreciate what Geo Pomona is doing,” he said.
The company says the project has also generated employment, with more than 1,200 workers currently engaged across various operations linked to the facility.
Plans are also underway to develop a waste-to-energy plant that will convert municipal solid waste into electricity for the national grid while reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills.
Nguwaya added that the government has already taken a policy position supporting the model, beginning with Harare before expanding it to other urban centres.
The visit by Kadoma officials highlights growing interest among local authorities in modernising waste management systems as cities grapple with rising waste volumes, environmental concerns and the need for sustainable energy alternatives.
Municipalities across Zimbabwe are increasingly exploring integrated waste management solutions, including models pioneered at the Geo Pomona facility that combine landfill rehabilitation, recycling and energy generation in an effort to improve urban sanitation, create jobs and reduce environmental risks.
Leave Comments