Geo Pomona Waste Management has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development to support the recruitment, monitoring, and evaluation of graduates in waste management and environmental sustainability.

Minister of Skills Audit and Development Dr. Jenfan Muswere stated that the strategic agreement would establish a robust framework for skills transfer and generate employment opportunities for graduates entering relevant fields.

“This five-year arrangement will provide a framework for the recruitment, monitoring and evaluation of graduates in relevant fields. We expect the agreement to contribute to the transformation of the waste management industry,” he said.

The landmark signing comes as Zimbabwe’s 92 local authorities explore partnerships with Geo Pomona Waste Management to address mounting waste disposal challenges using modern, integrated systems.

On Friday, representatives from all 92 local authorities toured the Geo Pomona facility in Harare to evaluate its waste collection, recycling, and processing operations. The visit marked the first phase of plans to establish modern waste management facilities across the country’s 10 provinces.

The tour was led by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti. Geo Pomona currently collects more than 500,000 tonnes of solid waste annually in Harare, positioning its operations as a viable national model for local authorities struggling with conventional refuse disposal.

Highlighting the need for new strategies, Kwekwe Town Clerk Dr. Lucia Nhika explained that traditional waste disposal methods had failed to meet municipal needs.

“In Kwekwe, we have been using traditional methods of solid waste collection, which have not worked well. We have had to decommission two dumpsites in Amaveni and Mbizo,” she said. “Having seen what Geo Pomona is doing, we believe this model could provide a solution to our waste management challenges.”

City of Harare Director of Works Dr. Zvenyika Isaiah Chawatama noted that the facility has significantly enhanced waste management within the capital.

“Before Geo Pomona, the City of Harare collected waste from approximately 290,000 households, but significant challenges resulted in irregular collection and poor waste management,” he said. “We believe Geo Pomona has transformed waste management in the capital, and residents are happy with the work being done.”

To fast-track nationwide adoption, Engineer Muguti revealed that the Government is moving to declare waste management a State of Disaster.

“The President has signed a State of Disaster declaration on waste management. This will ensure that all 92 local authorities benefit from the technical expertise available at this facility,” Engineer Muguti said. “The transformative technologies here, including the recycling of wastewater into potable water, demonstrate the kind of innovation required to achieve Vision 2030. We must ensure our cities are clean by then.”

Geo Pomona Executive Chairman and Special Adviser to the President on Waste Management and Environmental Sustainability, Dr. Dilesh Nguwaya, affirmed the company's readiness to assist local authorities in overhauling their waste infrastructure and rehabilitating existing landfills.

“We have demonstrated over time that we have the capacity to transform and lead the country’s waste management systems. Bringing all 92 local authorities together under one roof is historic, and we stand ready to assist them,” Dr. Nguwaya said. “Solid waste challenges must and will become a thing of the past.”

Having been accorded National Project Status, Geo Pomona’s conversion of a former landfill into an innovation hub focused on technology, recycling, and potential power generation has drawn considerable attention across the region, including interest from stakeholders in Botswana. Government now plans to extend the Geo Pomona model across the remaining 91 local authorities nationwide.