GEO Pomona is a private company the government chose to collect trash in Harare. But they have not started working yet. Trash is piling up in many neighborhoods. Some places have not had their garbage picked up for weeks. This has caused people to dump their trash in places they should not.
The City of Harare agreed to let GEO Pomona collect 650 tons of trash every day. They will pay the company $40 for each ton. The Ministry of Local Government pushed the city to make this deal.
Reuben Akili leads the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA). He says the deal with GEO Pomona will not help the city and will only make a few officials richer. Mr. Akili thinks the city will have a hard time paying the high fees to dump trash at the Pomona site.
At first, the City of Harare did not want GEO Pomona to take over. But the government made them change their minds. GEO Pomona's leader is a businessman named Delish Nguwaya. Many people do not trust him.
GEO Pomona started in 2022 after a company from the Netherlands called Geogenix BV made a $350 million deal with the city. They want to turn waste into energy. The people who live in Harare are not happy with GEO Pomona.
Siphathisiwe Masuku works for GEO Pomona. She says they know the city has a big trash problem and are working hard to get ready to start collecting garbage. Right now, the City of Harare is still picking up trash from homes. GEO Pomona is working with the city to figure out important details and wants to make sure everything goes smoothly when they start.
Ms. Masuku says they need to plan carefully. They have to decide which areas they will work in and where they will keep their trucks. They also want to keep the workers who already know how to do the job. GEO Pomona will tell everyone when they are ready to start collecting the city's trash officially.
The City of Harare agreed to let GEO Pomona collect 650 tons of trash every day. They will pay the company $40 for each ton. The Ministry of Local Government pushed the city to make this deal.
Reuben Akili leads the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA). He says the deal with GEO Pomona will not help the city and will only make a few officials richer. Mr. Akili thinks the city will have a hard time paying the high fees to dump trash at the Pomona site.
At first, the City of Harare did not want GEO Pomona to take over. But the government made them change their minds. GEO Pomona's leader is a businessman named Delish Nguwaya. Many people do not trust him.
GEO Pomona started in 2022 after a company from the Netherlands called Geogenix BV made a $350 million deal with the city. They want to turn waste into energy. The people who live in Harare are not happy with GEO Pomona.
Siphathisiwe Masuku works for GEO Pomona. She says they know the city has a big trash problem and are working hard to get ready to start collecting garbage. Right now, the City of Harare is still picking up trash from homes. GEO Pomona is working with the city to figure out important details and wants to make sure everything goes smoothly when they start.
Ms. Masuku says they need to plan carefully. They have to decide which areas they will work in and where they will keep their trucks. They also want to keep the workers who already know how to do the job. GEO Pomona will tell everyone when they are ready to start collecting the city's trash officially.
