Resident associations and local civil society groups have added their voice to the growing chorus on the US$300 million Pomona waste to energy entered into between the City of Harare and Netherlands registered company Geogenix saying it serves the interests of politically connected individuals.
Speaking to journalists in Harare Monday afternoon, Harare Metropolitan Residents Forum director Marvelous Khumalo representing the organisations said the scandal was designed to siphon resources at the cash strapped City of Harare.
“We the representatives of residents associations and civil society organisations advocating for good governance, transparency, accountability, climate and debt justice condemn and reject the imposed shameful Pomona waste to energy project scandal on the residents and ratepayers of Harare and the Metropolitan at large.
“In our view, the contents of the Memorandum of Agreement signed between the City of Harare and Geogenix for the US$300 million Pomona waste to energy project is a pure scandal and a burden to the city meant to serve the interests of politically connected elites at the expense of the residents of Harare.
“We reiterate that this scandal is well-crafted and cunning plan designed to siphon resources and strip assets from the already cash strapped and financially distressed local authority. While we welcome innovation aimed at solving our waste management challenges this must follow due processes and premised on tenets of good governance which are citizen participation, transparency and accountability,” said Khumalo
He said arguments are based on the provisions of the Memorandum of Agreement signed between the two parties and they argue that Harare has no capacity to fulfil part of the obligations.
“The City of Harare has no capacity to collect 1000 tonnes of waste as per the agreement due to its depleted fleet of refuse collection trucks and the local authority is not in a financial position to pay USD 40 000 per day hence the deal will fail,” he said
According to the deal, the City of Harare is expected to pay Geogenix US$40 excluding VAT per tonne of waste deposited by the local authority at Pomona and should be paid within 30 days from the day invoiced by the contractor, failure by the City of Harare to pay within 60 days Geogenix will stop providing services.
The deal has received widespread condemnation from various quarters of society with a High Court challenge seeking reversal of the deal ensuing from concerned residents and organisations.
