TAZARA eyes 2.4 million transit of cargo through $1.4 billion revitalization project – MD

Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority Managing Director Eng. […]

Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority Managing Director Eng. Bruno Ching’andu has described the 98th Agriculture and Commercial show theme “ Fostering Trade and Investment” to be a perfect fit in authority’s core value of transporting goods and passengers even as TAZARA aims to increase the cargo transit from 1.2 million tonnes to 2.4 million through the `$1.4 billion revitalization project.

 Speaking during an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times-ZBT at the 98th Agriculture and Commercial Show Ching’Andu noted the theme corresponding to TAZRA perfectly considering that the rail authority has reached 50 years of operation.

 “ This year’s theme fits into our core activity through the transportation of goods and passengers, efficiently and effectively, which forces the development of business and this theme comes at a time when TAZARA is also 50 years of coming into existence,” said Ching’andu .

He added that TAZARA in the last 50 years has moved passengers, goods, cargo in million tonnes and aims to increase the numbers. “ TAZARA has been there for 50 years and during this time, we have moved passengers, millions of tons of cargo and also developed the small towns like Kasama here in Zambia, Mbea in Tanzania, into big cities, into big towns because of the TNow, that is 50 years past,” said Ching’andu.

 He mentioned that in the past 50 years TAZARA has faced challenges in terms of recapitalisation and therefore needing capital for the railway to continue transporting goods and passengers through the rich TAZARA corridor. “ TAZARA has had some challenges in terms of recapitalization and therefore the need for new capital to be put into this railway, so that we can see the next 50 years and the partners who are coming in under a PPP concession are going to bring in about 1.4 billion US dollars.

 They are going to bring in new locomotives, they are going to bring in new wagons, they will revitalize the line and within the first three years they are going to be moving about 2.4 million cargo,” said Ching’andu.

He added that apart from the movement of 2.4 million cargo, the revitalization is also are going to cut down the transit time, through increased speeds. “ TAZARA is owned 50-50 by Tanzania and Zambia and $1.4 billion revitalization project will reduce on the transit time of goods and passager, and that why we are looking forward to seeing this concession taking off and attracting people away from the road onto rail,” said Ching’andu.

He added that the projects is a positive investment because TAZARA for the past 50 years ws moving about 1.2 million tonnes but with the investment the rail will move to 2.4 million.

Article by Justine Phiri