Staff Reporter
A visit to the GeoPomona Waste-to-Energy Project in Harare left members of the SADC Military Health Services Working Group thoroughly impressed, marking a strong endorsement of Zimbabwe’s bold step in sustainable waste management and environmental health.
The tour, which took place after the group’s Annual General Meeting yesterday, was not just a routine stop; it served as a critical learning platform aligned with the Working Group’s “One Health” concept.
This holistic approach links environmental sustainability to human and animal health, a principle at the core of the regional military health strategy.
In an interview with the media, Chairperson of the Working Group Brigadier General Gerald Mutetse stressed the significance of the project in the military health framework.
“This tour is part of our AGM and falls within our broader mandate of ensuring that our military operates in healthy, environmentally friendly conditions. GeoPomona has made a lasting impression through its modern approach to waste management and its alignment with regional sustainability goals,” he said.
“When I was coming here, I thought this was just a dumpsite, but what I have seen has impressed me beyond expectation. This will form part of our recommendations to our leadership,” admitted Brigadier General Jackson Kasela of the Zambian Defence Force.
Lieutenant General Ntshaveni Maphaha of the South African National Defence Force echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the tour’s strategic relevance.
“Our mandate is to protect and safeguard the health of our forces and the communities they serve. Learning from such an innovative project allows us to make informed recommendations to our commanders,” he said.
The GeoPomona Waste-to-Energy Project is one of the largest of its kind in the region and is rapidly transforming what was once Harare’s main landfill into a centre of modern waste-to-energy innovation.
By converting waste into energy, the project does not only tackle solid waste management but also contributes to clean energy generation and public health.
As the project garners increasing attention from across the region, the potential for replication in other SADC member states is growing.
GeoPomona Waste Management Company is already in preliminary talks with several countries keen to adopt similar models to tackle environmental hazards while enhancing energy access and public health.
The visit underscores Zimbabwe’s leadership in sustainable development and positions GeoPomona as a regional model for environmental resilience and innovation.
