Government has been urged to take firm action against vendors polluting Harare’s Central Business District, with Geo Pomona Waste Management Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman Dr Dilesh Nguwaya warning that illegal dumping is undermining efforts to clean the capital and cut emissions.
Dr Nguwaya made the remarks before the Thematic Committee on Climate Change during its inquiry into Waste Management Practices in Zimbabwe and their Implications for Climate Change Mitigation and Environmental Sustainability.
“Government must take decisive action against vendors in Harare CBD,” he said. “Illegal dumping by vendors is undoing the work being done at Pomona to clean the city and cut greenhouse gas emissions.”
He said Geo Pomona clears waste during the night and in the early hours of the morning, only for some vendors to return and litter the streets, while others even braai maize in undesignated public spaces.
Dr Nguwaya urged the City of Harare to enforce its by-laws, saying weak enforcement is worsening the city’s waste crisis.
He said Geo Pomona’s waste-to-energy plant was built to process organic waste, capture methane and generate electricity in line with Zimbabwe’s climate goals.
However, continued dumping of waste on streets and open spaces means methane is being released into the atmosphere instead of being converted into energy.
“When waste is dumped illegally, we lose the chance to convert it into energy and we increase emissions. This derails national efforts to mitigate climate change,” he said.
He called for coordinated enforcement involving the City of Harare, Environmental Management Agency and law enforcement agencies to restore order in the CBD.
The Committee is gathering submissions from waste operators, local authorities and environmental experts before presenting recommendations to Government on strengthening waste management and climate mitigation.
