Harare City Council (HCC) under pressure to reverse corrupt Pomona deal

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THE Community Water Alliance (CWA) has petitioned the Harare City Council (HCC) to terminate the controversial Pomona waste management deal.

The controversial 30-year deal between Netherlands-based Geogenix BV and HCC, which will see the company pocket over US$240 million, has ignited public outcry.

In a petition, CWA members Christopher Gohori and Joyleen Nyachuru implored the City of Harare to cancel the deal in the interest of good public administration.

“Your petitioners beseech the City of Harare to protect the constitutionally-guaranteed values and principles of development-oriented and accountable public administration by terminating the Pomona concession agreement … (and) bring City of Harare legal department to account on legal advice given within the context of the concession agreement,” the petition addressed to mayor Jacob Mafume and councillors read in part.

Mafume yesterday confirmed receipt of the petition, saying they would call a full council meeting on the matter.

“The petition raised very critical issues and it is very critical that the local or national government should consult the people whenever it is entering into an agreement. This idea of ambushing people is a thing of the past. There is no free lunch in this world,” he said in a telephone interview.

Among the flaws cited by CWA are clauses where the agreement states that while Geogenix gets the Pomona dumpsite free of charge, the city shall be liable for losses, costs and damages arising from the existence of any defect in the physical structure of buildings at the site.

Last week, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association petitioned the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to probe the agreement.

Opposition Harare North Member of Parliament (Citizens Coalition for Change) Allan Markham recently filed an urgent High Court application seeking a review of the deal.