Tshabangu Calls for Coltart Recall as Bulawayo's Geo Pomona Debate Intensifies

BULAWAYO — The political dispute surrounding Bulawayo's proposed partnership with Geo Pomona has escalated, with Senator Sengezo Tshabangu calling for Mayor David Coltart to face recall if he continues to resist the government's push for the waste-management project.

In a post on X, Tshabangu argued that Coltart should be recalled if he continues to disregard the government's position on the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the Bulawayo City Council and Geo Pomona.

Tshabangu said the project could help the city address its long-running waste-management problems, improve environmental and public-health conditions and create economic opportunities.

His intervention adds a political dimension to an already contentious dispute involving central government, the city council, residents' organisations and civic groups.

Government wants Geo Pomona in Bulawayo

The dispute began escalating after Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe directed the council to conclude an agreement with Geo Pomona within seven days.

Garwe said the intervention was necessary because of the environmental problems surrounding Richmond Landfill, commonly known as Ngozi Mine, where smoke and fumes have affected surrounding communities.

The minister has argued that Geo Pomona's waste-management model, already being implemented in Harare, should be extended to Bulawayo.

He warned that central government could intervene if the city failed to implement the directive.

Council's position has since shifted

Initially, Coltart said council would obtain a draft MOU from Geo Pomona before making a decision.

At that stage, the mayor said councillors had not committed themselves to a deadline for signing the agreement.

However, a subsequent report from The Herald said the Bulawayo City Council endorsed the Geo Pomona deal following a special meeting held on September 14.

The report said the endorsement was announced by the town clerk's office.

The development potentially changes the political argument surrounding Coltart, although questions remain about the exact terms of the agreement and how it will be implemented.

Residents demand transparency

The proposed deal has not received unanimous support.

Eleven Bulawayo civic and residents' organisations have called for the agreement to be made public and subjected to scrutiny and competitive procurement before it is implemented.

The groups say they support urgent action to address pollution at Ngozi Mine but argue that the urgency of the waste crisis should not remove requirements for transparency and public accountability.

They have also raised concerns about the role of Geo Pomona chief executive Dilesh Nguwaya, who also serves as a presidential adviser on waste management.

The bigger issue for Bulawayo

At the centre of the dispute is a problem that has persisted for years: how to modernise the city's waste-management system while protecting residents and ensuring that major public-private arrangements are properly scrutinised.

For government, Geo Pomona represents an opportunity to introduce a large-scale waste-management model and tackle the environmental problems at Ngozi Mine.

For critics of the arrangement, the issue is not whether Bulawayo needs a solution, but whether the solution should be imposed without sufficient public disclosure and competitive procurement.

Tshabangu's intervention now adds another question — whether political consequences should follow if elected local authorities disagree with central government over the implementation of a national development initiative.

Recall debate moves into the open

Tshabangu's call does not itself initiate a recall of the mayor. It is a political demand directed at Coltart.

The immediate focus is therefore likely to shift to the implementation of the council's reported endorsement of the Geo Pomona deal and whether its terms satisfy concerns over cost, accountability, procurement and environmental outcomes.

For Bulawayo residents, the eventual test will be practical: whether the arrangement delivers a cleaner city, reduces the problems associated with Ngozi Mine and improves waste collection without creating new financial or governance concerns.

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