Online Reporter
GEO Pomona Waste Management Pvt Ltd has blazed a trail insofar as the country’s waste management is concerned. It continues to grow in leaps and bounds, with potential partnerships with local authorities, players in the region and beyond on the cards. Last week, The Sunday Mail sat down with the company’s executive chairperson and chief executive officer, DR DELISH NGUWAYA, on current operations, milestones and future of the business.
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Q: Geo Pomona’s recent and latest milestone was the launch of a restaurant, The Sprout, which, to all intents and purposes, was constructed on a dumpsite. What does this symbolise, if at all it symbolises anything?
A: Yes, The Sprout symbolises a very significant part of the Geo Pomona story. It tells a story of transformation and our commitment to improving spaces in a manner that not only enhances public health, but demonstrates our commitment to environmental rehabilitation. The place, which once carried the burden of most of the city’s waste, has been carefully rehabilitated and converted into a state-of-the-art restaurant.
It is now a place where families will gather, friends will catch up and businesses will host meetings. But more than that, it is a place of rest and making connections. I love the thought of it being where someone comes to wind down after a game on the sporting fields, or where a visitor sits down after a long tour of the site and finally gets to relax, rest, to wine and dine, while enjoying a scrumptious meal. It also speaks to something deeper — the power of home-grown solutions. This restaurant wasn’t brought in from somewhere else; it was designed and constructed by local hands, by our own people. That is “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” in action.
It’s a simple, powerful truth that a nation is truly built by its own.
Q: When Geo Pomona first signed the contract with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the scale of illegal dumpsites in Harare was overwhelming. Looking back, what was the single biggest challenge you faced in those first few months?
A: Looking back, the single biggest challenge in those first few months was the sheer scale of accumulated waste across the city. When Geo Pomona took over from the City of Harare, we were confronted with dumpsites that had been neglected for years; waste had piled up and due to the council’s limited capacity to collect refuse, these sites would repeatedly recur even after clearance attempts. Breaking that cycle required a massive injection of resources, from heavy equipment and manpower to sustained operational planning.
This challenge highlighted the need for a more integrated approach, ultimately leading to an addendum to the original contract that brought waste collection into our mandate. That expansion enabled us to tackle the root cause rather than just the symptoms, and it has been instrumental in building the cleaner, more sustainable system we see today.
Q: On December 15, 2025, President Mnangagwa commissioned a new fleet of 58 refuse collection trucks, compactors, skip trucks, tippers and road sweepers. Is this equipment enough to cater for the capital and are there any plans to acquire new ones?
A: That’s a fair question. The 58 refuse trucks, compactors, tippers, skip trucks, concrete mixers and sweeper trucks commissioned on December 15, 2025 were a significant boost, but let’s be honest, covering the whole capital is no small feat. No single fleet can ever be “enough” when you are dealing with a city that never stops growing.
What is important to understand is that this was an addition to what we already had. We are not starting from zero; we are building. Improvement is a continuous process. Rome wasn’t built in a day. We can never reach a point where we say, “This is enough”, because our goal is to keep raising the bar. So, yes, there are plans to acquire more equipment as we go, expanding our capacity and improving operational efficiency.
But for now, with what we have, we are serving the people of Harare to the best of our ability — one step at a time but always moving forward.
Q: Have you observed or measured any early indicators of improved public health or reduced environmental contamination in communities surrounding the former illegal dumpsites since the clean-up began?
A: Yes, we have observed real, tangible improvements and they matter because they affect people’s daily lives. Since February 2025, Geo Pomona has cleared over 317 907.65 tonnes of waste from illegal dumpsites across Harare. We have also collected 76 962.43 tonnes of waste from door-to-door collection.
One of the clearest early indicators has been in our drainage systems. Before, many channels were completely blocked by waste, causing flooding and stagnant water.
Now, those systems are flowing again, which directly reduces the risk of waterborne diseases.
We have also seen the impact in areas like Mbare, where a high population and activity made illegal dumps a serious health hazard. By removing that waste, we have helped eliminate the breeding grounds for cholera and other outbreaks. It is no coincidence that we are seeing greater stability in public health where these sites have been cleared.
Right now, most of our work has shifted from removal to maintenance, making sure those dumps do not return. Cleaning up is one thing but keeping it clean is how we sustain the health of our communities.
So yes, the indicators are there. Cleaner neighbourhoods, functioning drains and fewer disease outbreaks speak for themselves. We are not just moving waste; we are restoring dignity and safety, one site at a time.
Q: Are there any plans to also cover informal settlements that are in the process of being regularised?
A: Yes, absolutely. We haven’t forgotten about the informal settlements that are now on the path to being regularised. Plans are already underway.
Once these areas meet the necessary regulatory requirements — meaning they become compliant with City of Harare by-laws, which include elements such as paying municipal rates for refuse collection — we will begin servicing them just like any other part of the city. It’s about fairness and structure.
We want every resident, regardless of where they live, to enjoy a clean and healthy environment because we believe in leaving no one behind when it comes to keeping our cities clean. However, because our contract ties us to areas that are formally recognised and compliant, we are ready to start servicing all communities once they complete the regularisation process.
So yes, the intention is there, the planning is happening and we are looking forward to extending our services as more communities officially come on board. Everyone deserves to have their waste collected and we want to be the ones doing it.
Q: There are some urban local authorities that have expressed interest in working with Geo Pomona for similar projects in their jurisdictions. Are we going to see any developments on that front any time soon?
A: Yes, we have seen growing interest from several urban local authorities that are keen to replicate the Geo Pomona model in their own jurisdictions. Several of them have already undertaken site visits to observe our operations firsthand and engage with our team on how the model can be adapted to their specific waste management challenges.
We are currently at an advanced stage of finalising negotiations with these local authorities, and I am pleased to confirm that developments in this regard will be seen in the very near future.
Q: Geo Pomona recently participated in the ISWA (International Solid Waste Association) Africa Regional Conference, which was held in Harare for the first time. What was the company’s role in this landmark event, and what did the conference mean for Zimbabwe’s position in the global waste management sector?
A: At Geo Pomona, we have maintained a longstanding relationship with ISWA, which has significantly shaped our approach and guided us in aligning our operations with best practices in solid waste management. Our involvement with ISWA has been vital for building the capacity of our team and facilitating the transfer of technical knowledge.
Therefore, hosting the ISWA 2026 Africa Regional Conference in Harare was another demonstration of a fruitful relationship intended to position Zimbabwe as a rising hub for environmental innovation. Geo Pomona was not only the major sponsor but also a central host, welcoming waste management experts, policymakers and industry leaders from across the continent.
A key highlight was a tour of our facility, where delegates where delegates saw firsthand how a former open dumpsite has been transformed into an integrated waste-to-energy complex. The ISWA Africa Regional Chapter hailed our facilities as a “benchmark” for sustainable practices, showing that with the right investment and vision, African nations can lead the way in the circular economy.
Q: Beyond the recent regional conference, Geo Pomona has also engaged with ISWA on a global scale. Can you elaborate on your participation in other ISWA events and what this international engagement means for your mission?
A: Absolutely. We are proud to be a gold member of ISWA, which gives us a platform to showcase our work on the world stage. In 2025, we represented Zimbabwe at the ISWA World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, presenting our model of transforming waste into clean energy.
We also attended the ISWA Energy Recovery Working Group meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, where we exchanged knowledge on advanced technologies and circular economy practices. This global engagement aligns with our mission to turn Harare’s waste challenge into a sustainable energy opportunity and to position Zimbabwe as a serious player in the global waste-to-energy space.
Q: Finally, Geo Pomona recently signed a significant memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ghana’s Jospong Group of Companies. Can you tell us more about this partnership and why it is important for Geo Pomona and the continent?
A: This is a landmark partnership for us. The MoU was signed in Accra, Ghana, and presided over by President Mnangagwa and President Mahama, strengthening waste management cooperation between our two nations.
The Jospong Group is one of Africa’s largest waste management firms, with over 60 subsidiaries and a proven track record of delivering African solutions to African problems. For Geo Pomona, this partnership provides access to new technologies, expertise and investment to improve our sanitation systems. For the continent, it demonstrates the power of South-South cooperation.
As our President noted, such collaborations enable the provision of “well-thought-out African solutions to African problems”. We believe this is the future for African nations — working together to build a cleaner, more sustainable continent.
