SADC Ministers Laud Zimbabwe’s Green Energy Push

Online Reporter 

Herald  

July 4, 2025

Remember Deketeke

Herald Correspondent

VISITING SADC Ministers of Energy yesterday commended Zimbabwe’s ongoing shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy following a tour of the Geo Pomona Waste Management site in Harare.

The delegation, led by Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo and SADC Executive Secretary Mr Elias Magosi, applauded the country’s efforts to harness waste for clean energy production, describing the initiative as a model worth replicating across the region.

Speaking after the tour, Mr Magosi said the facility aligns with global climate targets and Africa’s commitment to a greener future.

“This tour is consistent with the global initiative to clean the environment. We are the creators of waste, and it is our responsibility to find solutions,” he said.

“What was once a major waste site has been rehabilitated. Today, it not only creates employment, but will soon generate power, from waste to energy.”

The visit follows an earlier inspection in August 2024 by regional Heads of State and Government who expressed interest in replicating similar projects across SADC member states.

The Geo Pomona Waste Management site, which is being transformed into an energy-generating facility, is expected to contribute to Zimbabwe’s clean power grid upon full operationalisation.

Mr Magosi called on other municipalities in the region to emulate Harare’s example by investing in waste-to-energy technologies.

“We expect Harare to be clean, and we expect other cities, especially municipalities in the region, to come here and learn,” he added.

“Seeing is one thing, but implementation back home is what will truly make a difference.”

Lesotho’s Water and Energy Minister Mohlani Moleko expressed admiration for the facility, noting its potential as a model for the region.

“I am very impressed in terms of this facility,” he said.

“A lot of countries, both in Africa and abroad, such as Lesotho, are struggling with their waste management, landfills.”

Mr Moleko said although the Pomona project is still under construction, its impact was already evident.

“This project, though it is not complete yet, we can already see where it is going. Right now, you see that there is waste, but you cannot even smell the waste.

“But where I come from, there are some dump sites where you can actually smell the waste.”

Lesotho, a landlocked country, Mr Moleko said, is also pursuing waste-to-energy initiatives, but faces distinct challenges due to its size and capacity.

“We are grappling with trying to do the same facility,” he said.

“I am really very impressed because I am the Minister of Energy in Lesotho. And one of the things we want to do is to do a similar project of waste to energy.

“But because Lesotho is a small country, obviously, we might even have to import some of the waste from South Africa to make the projects viable.”

Minister Moyo also stressed the importance of transitioning from fossil fuels to green energy, saying initiatives such as the Pomona plant are key pillars in the country’s energy transformation agenda.

“Zimbabwe is pursuing a multi-pronged energy strategy, from solar and hydro to wind and waste. This facility represents our commitment to cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable energy,” he said.

The Pomona project, a public-private partnership, seeks to process thousands of tonnes of municipal waste and convert it into electricity, which will be fed into the national grid.

SADC countries have pledged to increase renewable energy uptake as part of their commitments under the SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan (REEESAP), in line with global Sustainable Development Goal 7 on affordable and clean energy.