COH asks Gvt to take over refuse collection

Nyashadzashe Ndoro

Zim Now Chief Reporter

The Zimbabwean government has taken control of the city's waste management services, citing the Harare City Council's persistent failure to provide adequate waste collection and disposal systems, despite collecting rates from residents.

"The Harare City Council has continuously failed to provide functional systems for solid waste management, as evidenced by the existence of heaps of uncollected garbage and mushrooming illegal dumpsites all over the city," Information Minister Jenfan Muswere while presenting the post cabinet update to the media.

Muswere said Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, had highlighted the City's failure to provide functional systems for solid waste management.

"The Harare City Council has formally requested that the Central Government take over the collection of solid waste management, citing the local authority's inability to perform the mandate as expected," Muswere explained.

In November 2022, City of Harare procured 20 Nissan NP200 trucks, two Navara single cab trucks, one front-end loader, one excavator, four tractors and 20 motorcycles in bid to improve solid waste management.

https://zimbabwenow.co.zw/articles/1283/harare-procures-48-service-delivery-vehicles

The city also got compactors to improve efficiency as garbage refuse collection trucks would concentrate on collection while the compactors made the long commute to Geo Pomona.

City of Harare also pledged to clean up when cholera hit Harare in 2023.

But uncollected refuse remains an eyesore in the residential areas and the CBD. Unsightly informal collection points manned by menacing homeless types have started sprouting up in city streets.

Muswere said private contractors would step in to cover the gap.

"We are working on putting in place functional systems, companies, and institutions to collect refuse, and ensure that the city's waste management is brought up to speed," Muswere said.

The government is yet to announce companies that will be contracted for the job.

City of Harare and the Local Government ministry have previously clashed on solid waste management after awarding of the Geo Pomona project to Delish Nguwaya’s Geogenix BV.

The City of Harare tried to cancel the contract following an outcry on some of its terms and allegations that Geogenix BV was getting money from Devolution funds without any work done.

This publication understands that this is part of several interventions being made by the government to prepare Harare for the upcoming Southern African Development Community summit where Zimbabwe is going to take over the chairmanship of the regional body.