Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo says the Pomona Waste to Energy deal will not be cancelled.
In a statement, Moyo said the waste management project, amongst other benefits, will create employment, generate power and assist in refuse management.
This come after Harare City, which is part of the deal, announced the suspension of the US$344 million deal.
Below is the full statement
STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS, HON J.G MOYO ON THE POMONA WASTE TO ENERGY PROJECT
We understand that, on 2nd June 2022, a resolution was passed by Harare City Councillors, led by Councillor J. Mafume to suspend the Pomona Waste to Energy Joint Venture Agreement between the City of Harare and the investor, Geogenix B.V. It is surprising that Councillors went ahead to deliberate on the matter and some members in the City and the Ministry are being sued. We wonder why the Chamber Secretary and a lawyer would proceed to make such a decision.
With respect to the project, we wish to advise that all procedures were followed. The City and the investor agreed on terms as to how to execute the joint venture while the investment appraisal was done by the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) and also recommended to the Joint Venture Committee. All the recommendations from this process went to Cabinet, which is the highest executive authority, for approval and a lower organ cannot violate the principle of subsidiarity.
Following Cabinet’s approval, the joint venture agreement was closely analysed by Government lawyers, including the Attorney General’s office before it was signed.
The waste management project, amongst other benefits, will create employment, generate power and assist in refuse management. Government wishes to advise that, in consummating this transaction, rigorous processes to ensure that Council and the country at large derive maximum benefits were undertaken. It is confounding that a group of councillors have decided to, once again, appraise this project and in the process causing needless delays and, with it, the risk of jeopardising investor appetite.
We condemn this conduct which amounts to cheap political grandstanding at the expense of the country and it is, therefore, necessary to state that the project will not be stopped unless done so by judicial action. Again, we state that the matter is subjudice and that some members were mentioned in the legal papers.
Hon J.G. Moyo
Minister of Local Government and Public Works
