Good afternoon. The announcement by waste management firm Moz Environmental that it is to move its waste treatment plant out of a neighbourhood of the city of Pemba (see below) is a rare victory for local residents in the fight against pollution. For several years now, local people have complained about the noxious effects of the plant, which they say gives them breathing problems, generates an unpleasant smell, corrodes the metal roofs of their homes and prevents plants from growing. But they got little sympathy from the authorities or the media, at least not until Satar Abdulgani took over as mayor in 2023.
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Tom Bowker
When Abdulgani ordered South African-owned Moz Environmental to shut down its operations, a court overturned his order. But it is not clear that the court was really taking a view on whether the plant was generating harmful emissions or not. There does not seem to have been a proper investigation mounted at any point, including by public prosecutors. In fact the true level of environmental damage being done by the plant remains unclear.
