Story by Owen Mandovha
HARARE – THE Botswana Government has made a reciprocal benchmarking visit to the GeoPomona Waste Management Company following a similar visit embarked by the company to establish collaboration in waste management.
The delegation, led by Botswana’s Minister of Education, Honourable Justin Hunyepa, toured the GeoPomona facility to explore potential collaboration in waste management.
Honourable Hunyepa expressed his intent to present the insights gained from the visit to Botswana’s Cabinet, aiming to replicate Zimbabwe’s successful waste management model in his home country.
“I am going to share what I have learnt at this impressive project to Cabinet back home so that we can as well replicate the same in Botswana, since we are faced with similar challenges of waste management in and around the country. We are grateful for the opportunity presented to tour this facility.”
Botswana Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Her Excellency Sarah Molosiwa mentioned that the visit resonates with President Duma Boko’s new thrust for councils to be innovative.
“Our new government has encouraged our councils to be innovative and generate revenue and not rely on ratepayers and this project indeed resonates with what the new government can learn and replicate the same.”
Last year, GeoPomona Waste Management Company embarked on a benchmarking visit to Gaborone and this reciprocal visit by the Botswana Government presents further opportunities for collaboration.
“We are delighted that we have the Botswana delegation which means that we can as well continue our collaboration to do waste management going forward,” GeoPomona’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Dilesh Nguwaya noted.
A fortnight ago, President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned a fleet of refuse collection trucks and related equipment and the company has already started door-to-door refuse collection, with residents describing the initiative as a new dawn of service delivery in Harare.
