Online Reporter
Harmony Agere and Wallace Ruzvidzo
MALAWI is exploring a possible partnership with Zimbabwe’s Geo Pomona Waste Management to strengthen waste management and waste-to-energy systems in its cities following a high-level tour of the company’s facilities in Harare by Malawi’s Minister of Local Government Dr Ben Phiri.
Dr Phiri said Malawi was keen to study Geo Pomona’s model as it seeks practical, African-led solutions to mounting urban waste challenges.
Speaking after the tour yesterday, Dr Phiri described the project as an innovative and scalable solution capable of addressing problems facing many African cities.
“Trust me, what I have seen here is amazing. This is not Europe; this is Africa,” he said.
“There are times we have clapped hands for the West, for the East and others, forgetting our own talents and generational thinkers.”
He said the project demonstrated that African countries can develop home-grown solutions to complex urban challenges.
Dr Phiri praised Geo Pomona’s executive chairperson and chief executive officer Dr Dilesh Nguwaya, saying the facility reflected a vision that speaks directly to the needs of the continent.
“His dream is not isolated. It is a dream that is answering to a lot of challenges that African countries are facing, one of which is Malawi,” he said.
“We have got a lot of waste in our cities, which we are failing to manage. A solution has been provided and demonstrated by this company here, with all the capacity.”
Malawi, under President Arthur Peter Mutharika, is prioritising cleaner and better-managed urban centres, Dr Phiri said, adding that the government would move to establish a technical task team to assess how the model could be adapted to Malawian conditions.
“We are going to come up with a task team of technical people who are going to streamline exactly what we are looking at, as per our demand, because cities are different in terms of capacity,” he said.
“Once that scope has been made, then I am going to present that to the president in Malawi so that they can appreciate exactly the magnitude of our problem.
“Why should we look for such a facility outside Africa when there is an African who can do it? Everything that is here is what Malawi requires.”
For Geo Pomona, the visit signals growing regional interest in its waste-to-energy model.
Dr Nguwaya said the company was positioning itself as a continental leader in waste management innovation.
“As Geo Pomona, we continue to take a bold step towards being excellent in the region and on the continent,” he said.
“We continue showcasing our ability in terms of how we manage and stabilise waste management and waste innovation.”
Geo Pomona has in recent months hosted delegations from several African countries seeking to benchmark Zimbabwe’s approach to modern waste management.
