In the high-stakes theatre of Zimbabwean politics, the line between a prison cell and the corridors of power has often proven to be remarkably thin. However, few ascensions have been as rapid or as brazen as that of Dilesh Nguwaya. Once the face of a multi-million dollar medical procurement scandal that crippled the nation’s pandemic response, Nguwaya has now been formally elevated to the status of a Special Advisor to President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Waste Management and Environmental Sustainability.
The appointment, confirmed by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, marks the final stage in what investigative analysts describe as the “rehabilitation” of a man whose name was once synonymous with the darkest hours of the COVID-19 era. To many observers, this is not merely a personnel change; it is a definitive signal that the “untouchables” of the Second Republic have returned to the forefront of national governance, their past controversies scrubbed clean by the very system they were once accused of defrauding.
The Shadow of Drax International: A Pandemic Plundered
To understand the gravity of Nguwaya’s new role, one must first look back to 2020, when Zimbabwe was grappling with the onset of a global pandemic. At the centre of the storm was Drax International, a company represented by Nguwaya that secured a US$60 million contract to supply drugs and personal protective equipment (PPE). The deal was a disaster from the start, a case study in how public health crises can be exploited for private gain.
Prosecutors at the time alleged that Nguwaya made fraudulent misrepresentations to government officials, claiming that Drax was a manufacturer of medical equipment when it was, in fact, a shadowy consultancy firm based in Dubai. The fallout was immense and reached the highest levels of government. The then-Minister of Health, Dr Obediah Moyo, was sacked and arrested for criminal abuse of office. Nguwaya himself spent time behind bars, appearing in court in handcuffs as the state alleged he had overpriced the procurement, prejudicing the country of millions of dollars that were desperately needed for life-saving equipment.
During the bail hearings, the state argued that Nguwaya was a flight risk, given the seriousness of the charges. Yet, as the headlines faded, so did the legal pressure. In a series of court appearances that legal analysts described as “deliberately incompetent” on the part of the prosecution, the case against Nguwaya eventually crumbled. High Court judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, noted during a bail ruling that “the fact that the medicines were overpriced should have been picked by state officials during due diligence.” By late 2023, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) claimed there was “no case” against him, asserting that the contract was above board. This legal clearing was the first step in a carefully choreographed return to the public eye.
The Geo Pomona Monopoly: A “Heist” in Plain Sight
The vehicle for Nguwaya’s resurgence has been Geo Pomona Waste Management (Pvt) Ltd. In 2022, the government bypassed standard tender procedures to award a 30-year, US$344 million waste-to-energy contract to Geogenix BV, a Dutch-registered firm linked to Albanian businessman Mirel Mërtiri. Mërtiri himself has been a figure of controversy in Europe, with reports linking him to corrupt waste management deals in the Balkans.
Nguwaya, a close associate of the President’s sons, Collins and Sean Mnangagwa, was installed as the local executive chairperson. The deal, which the government granted “national project” status to shield it from local authority scrutiny, effectively handed Nguwaya a monopoly over Harare’s waste. The terms of the contract are, by any standard, extraordinary and have been described by residents’ groups as a “financial death trap” for the capital city.
Under a “take-or-pay” arrangement, the cash-strapped City of Harare is forced to pay Geo Pomona US$40 for every tonne of waste delivered to its own dumpsite — a site the city managed itself for decades. The financial burden is staggering. In 2022, the city was obligated to pay US$22,000 per day. By 2026, this figure is set to rise to US$40,000 per day. Even if the city fails to deliver the minimum required tonnage of waste, it is still contractually bound to pay the full amount. This ensures that Nguwaya’s company gets paid regardless of performance, while the city bleeds millions in foreign currency it does not have.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume, a vocal critic of the deal who was suspended from office shortly after the deal was signed, did not mince his words:
“There is no way such a deal can be legal. How do we, as a landlord, give someone a lease and we pay the rentals? It would be criminal to do so. This is corruption which has drunk an energy drink or taken Viagra. This deal is not legal, no one can legally execute it. It’s not worth the paper it’s written on. It is just not workable in any way, shape or fashion.”
The “Zero-Waste” Mask and Environmental Concerns
On the surface, Geo Pomona is marketed as a progressive “Zero-Waste to Landfill” initiative. The company claims it will transform the notorious Pomona dumpsite into a modern facility generating 22 megawatts of electricity. However, investigative digging reveals a different reality. Critics argue the policy is a clever mask for a massive revenue-collection scheme that forces the city to pay for trash they used to manage themselves.
Precious Shumba, director of the Harare Residents’ Trust, highlighted the absurdity of the situation:
“The priority of ratepayers is to have a regular waste collection from households, industrial and central business district. Therefore, if Geogenix BV meant well they should have bought refuse collection vehicles and committed to the payment for the vehicle maintenance as well as construction of a weighbridge at Pomona dumpsite. Essentially, Geogenix BV wants money from the city of Harare without investing a cent into the project.”
Beyond the financial scandal, environmental experts have raised alarms about the technology being proposed. Waste incineration is often cited as the most expensive and least efficient way to generate energy. A report by the Community Water Alliance pointed out that incinerators emit large quantities of polluting substances, including nitrogen oxides, mercury, and dioxins. “Even the most advanced pollution control devices can’t eliminate toxins,” the report stated, noting that the “collect, transport and throw-away” approach being perpetuated by this deal contradicts modern recycling and reuse models.
The Hidden Conspiracy: Consultancy Fees and Offshore Links
The government’s insistence that the project is “above board” and “irreversible” flies in the face of the protests from residents and opposition politicians who control the capital. The use of “national project” status has been a recurring theme in the government, used to bypass the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act and avoid the transparency that comes with public tenders.
A Seat at the Table: The Ultimate Validation
Nguwaya’s appointment as a Special Advisor is the ultimate validation of this system. It places a man who was once investigated for defrauding the state in a position to advise the President on the very sector where his company holds a controversial monopoly. The move has left political analysts gasping, as it signals that the “untouchables” are back in full force.
The implications for the average resident of Harare are direct and painful. The bin collection fees paid by struggling families are no longer just for the removal of refuse; they have become a mandatory contribution to a private empire. The City of Harare, already struggling to provide clean water, fix potholed roads, and pay its own workers, is being bled dry by a contract it was forced to sign under the shadow of central government interference.