Zambia: TAZARA enhances operations
By Nawa Mutumweno – The Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has procured six new diesel electronic mainline locomotives from China and re-commissioned two heavy duty cranes to boost operations.
These two projects mark significant progress and a tremendous step towards the implementation of capacity building projects under the 14th Protocol of Economic and Technical Cooperation, which was signed by the governments of China, Tanzania and Zambia in December 2009.
The inter-country rail firm is happy to be on the last lap to the completion of all projects under the auspices of the protocol although it continues to face challenges, its managing director Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has revealed.
TAZARA is over-stretched financially, making it difficult to meet some of the project expenditures such as port charges and commissions required to be paid for locally.
‘’ But we are determined to meet these obligations, and have been soliciting all the understanding and assistance we need from various parties,’’ he said.
All the projects under the 14th Protocol were originally scheduled for completion by the end of 2011 but faced hurdles that have caused delays.
The bottlenecks have since been resolved through collective efforts of TAZARA, the projects’ implementation agents of China and the three governments, paving the way for conclusion of the projects.
The locomotives have already been cleared from the port of Dar es Salaam and transferred to the TAZARA Dar es Salaam workshops where they are awaiting final release and hand-over from the Chinese suppliers.
The additional six locomotives are expected to enhance motive power to the drastically dwindled capacity and reverse the declining performance that has been witnessed in the recent past.
Meanwhile, Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi-based gantry cranes, which have not been operational for many years, have now been rehabilitated and re-commissioned, leaving Kasama and Makambako-based ones to be commissioned within the next three months
This development will uplift container loading and offloading activities at the two ends of the line, further promising the revival of container transportation throughout the line once the other two gantry cranes at Kasama and Makambako and Kasama are also fully rehabilitated.
‘’Management is confident that much more was on the way to be delivered by all stakeholders working positively, rendering appropriately focused and effective support to overcome challenges of undercapitalisation, inadequate working capital and the genuine concerns of employees,’’ he enthused.
