Civil society raises concern over directive to fast-track Geo Pomona waste deal
Image Source: Bulawayo24 News
BULAWAYO, 14 September 2026 — Civil society organisations, stakeholders and residents of Bulawayo have raised concern over a reported ministerial directive requiring the City of Bulawayo to finalise a Memorandum of Agreement with Geo Pomona Waste Management.
The directive followed a visit to Bulawayo by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works on 10 September 2026, amid growing environmental and public-health concerns at Richmond Landfill, commonly known as Ngozi Mine.
While acknowledging the urgency of addressing the crisis at the landfill, the groups said the need for immediate action should not override legal and procurement requirements.
Their concern, they said, was not specifically with Geo Pomona as a potential service provider, but with the reported instruction to conclude an agreement with a specified company within a limited timeframe.
“The fundamental question is not who the service provider is, but whether the process through which it is selected is lawful, transparent, accountable and demonstrably in the public interest,” the organisations said.
They questioned how a directive to conclude an agreement with a particular service provider within one week would be reconciled with the City’s statutory procurement structures and applicable procurement laws.
The organisations pointed to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act [Chapter 22:23], which provides the framework governing public procurement by local authorities, as well as Section 210 of the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15], which provides for a Municipal Procurement Board responsible for arranging tenders and making recommendations to Council on procurement.
They also called for clarity on previous processes undertaken by the City to address its waste-management challenges, including Expressions of Interest and any subsequent evaluations, recommendations or decisions.
“If Geo Pomona represents the best technical, environmental and financial solution for Bulawayo, a lawful and transparent process should be capable of demonstrating this to residents,” they said.
The groups called on the City of Bulawayo, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe and other relevant authorities to clarify the statutory and procurement basis for the proposed arrangement.
They further called for the proposed agreement to be disclosed, to the extent permitted by law, including information on its duration, financial implications, obligations and service-delivery model.
The organisations stressed that their position should not be interpreted as opposition to Geo Pomona or any other service provider.
They said Bulawayo needs a sustainable waste-management solution, but argued that such a solution must be reached through a process that protects public resources and maintains public accountability.
They also urged authorities to continue immediate measures to address fires, pollution, health hazards and environmental degradation at Ngozi Mine while a sustainable long-term solution is developed.
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