By Beverly Bizeki
Masvingo City Council has issued yet another deadline for Cambria Farm to begin operations, following a series of delays and a premature commissioning. The latest target for the landfill to become operational is November 2025.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Town House on May 8, 2025, Masvingo Mayor Alec Tabe said the local authority will continue using the old Runyararo West dumpsite until they procure a new compactor for Cambria Landfill.
“Our dumpsite in Runyararo West suburb is in a deplorable state, and we are in the process of procuring a compactor for use at the Cambria Landfill. In the interim, we are covering and compacting waste at the dumpsite using a dozer every three months.
“However, we continue to face fierce fires, caused both by scavengers searching for recyclable materials and by natural gases released from decomposing waste. Our Fire Brigade remains on high alert to contain these fires. We expect to relocate to the Cambria Landfill by November 2025,” said Tabe.
Construction of the Cambria Landfill, located several kilometers outside the city, began a few years ago and was expected to provide a long-term solution to Masvingo’s solid waste management challenges.
The project was launched to replace the overburdened and environmentally hazardous Runyararo West dumpsite, which has long been criticized for posing health risks to nearby residents due to open burning, poor waste segregation, and lack of proper waste treatment.
Despite multiple announcements that the landfill was ready, the site has remained inactive due to incomplete infrastructure and delays in procuring essential equipment, including compactors and fencing. The facility was ‘commissioned’ in 2023 by vice President Kembo Mohadi, but operations failed to commence, raising concerns over project mismanagement and resource allocation.
Residents and environmental groups expressed frustration over the delays, citing the continued environmental degradation and health hazards posed by the current dumpsite.
Councilors on the other hand have raised concern too over the use of the Runyararo West dumpsite even in full council meetings.
Ward 2 councilor Benson Hwata has been on record for prompting councilors and management to spend a night at the old dumpsite for them to get an idea of the situation on the ground that residents were going through at the dumpsite.
Other councilors suggested that council fence the dumpsite to bar scavengers from accessing the dumpsite.. This however does not entirely solve the situation as residents will still be exposed o other health hazards from flies and unpleasant smells surrounding the area.
The compactor that has stalled progress at the dumpsite costs around US$700 000 and council was quoted saying they were not in a capacity to part with such an amount during a full council meeting last year.
Former mayor, Shantiel Chiwara got under fire by locals during her short stint in office after misinforming residents that council was no longer using the old dumpsite when council was in fact still using it.
