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Municipal Reporter

Fire broke out at Harare’s Pomona dumpsite at noon on Monday almost simultaneously at multiple scattered points, suggesting arson was the cause, Geo Pomona Waste Management (Private) Limited, which has the management and upgrade contract, reports. 

The raging fires quickly engulfed 30 percent of the dumpsite but were brought under control by 10pm that night and have now been extinguished. Pomona has seen several fires over the years, generally the result of carelessness or spontaneous combustion, but Monday’s near simultaneous multiple origin and the scattered points of origin are unique and strongly suggest the fires were deliberately started. 

In a statement, Geo Pomona said: “Indications, presently, point towards some deliberate scheme by some third hand as the fire erupted in various but distant spots simultaneously. 

“The fire erupted at 12 noon and we made every effort to contain it. We point out that 30 percent of the dumpsite was engulfed. We are pleased to advise that at about and around 10pm in the evening of October 3 the flames were fully under control and not as raging as when the fire started,” reads the statement. 

By yesterday the fires were extinguished and Geo Pomona said it had put in place sufficient measures to safeguard the dumpsite from similar incidences going forward.

The firm said it is committed to ensuring a pollution free environment and providing sustainable and innovative solutions in waste management. 

“Environmentally friendly waste management is at the heart of our organisation and defines the project we are currently carrying out. We assure all stakeholders of our commitment to achieving world class waste management of the Pomona dumpsite,” reads the statement. The fires broke out shortly after Harare City Council, which initiated the Geo Pomona scheme, was told that its attempts to cancel the contract were legally void and that it needed to rescind the resolutions it made to cancel the deal. Under the contract waste will be properly managed and a 22MW modest power station will be run on the site using proven technology. 

In a recent letter to Harare Mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo said minutes of a council meeting held on August 3 reported resolutions detrimental to the city as waste management was a nightmare under the present council. Minister Moyo said in any case, there was a binding contract between Geogenix BV and council while the Government had granted the project national status, showing its importance. In the letter dated September 27, 2022, Minister Moyo cited a number of resolutions that were made in that meeting, the notable one being that council should not oppose the court case by residents of Harare for publication of the report on investigations into converting Pomona waste to energy. 

Other resolutions were that council exercises the termination clause in its contract with Geo Pomona Waste Management (Pvt) Ltd to cancel the deal and mandated the acting chamber secretary to proceed with the necessary action. 

“Pursuant to the passing of the resolutions, your office through the office of the town clerk advised the Ministry through a letter dated 26 September. 

“In my view the above mentioned resolutions were gratuitous and not in the interests of the inhabitants of Harare and the public at large, a burden which is now cascading to the inhabitants and therefore cannot be allowed,” he said. Minister Moyo said in any case, the project was granted national project status by Government and therefore in the national interest, Government is part of this arrangement. 

“Hence Government will not accept such an action which undermines efforts to enhance service delivery in the local authorities as well as erosion of investor confidence on current and future investments in Zimbabwe,” he said. 

“I accordingly, direct in terms of Section 314 of the Urban Council’s Act, that council immediately rescinds the resolutions cited above which seek to not oppose the court case as well as the termination of the contract. The resolution is, in my view, in bad faith and not in the public interest.” 

There have been persistent attempts by opposition CCC councillors led by Mayor Mafume to derail projects that are critical in the restoration of Harare’s sunshine city status.