DEPUTY minister for Transport, David Kihenzile has instructed the management of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at improving the railway’s operations, focusing on increasing freight transport volumes and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Kihenzile made the call recently during his visit to the TAZARA station in Tunduma, Songwe Region, where he assessed the performance of the railway, which is jointly operated by Tanzania and Zambia.

He emphasised the need for innovative strategies to address the challenges facing the railway, including deteriorating infrastructure.

“The underperformance of the railway has led to numerous issues, such as the inability to transport large volumes of freight and delays in employee salaries due to the organisation's financial struggles,” Kihenzile said.

He stressed that modern operating methods must be implemented to make the railway profitable, benefiting both the railway and the national economy through dividends.

Additionally, Kihenzile highlighted the environmental impact of the railway’s underperformance, pointing out that the shift of freight from rail to road has led to road deterioration.

He also addressed challenges faced by neighbouring countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, many of which lack ports and rely on the Port of Dar es Salaam for imports and exports. 

“The failure of TAZARA to operate efficiently affects not only Tanzania and Zambia but also our neighbours who depend on our railway for goods transportation,” he said.

TAZARA’s Tanzania manager, Fuad Abdallah, shared that the government has allocated over 2.5bn/- for the construction of two new railway lines at the Tunduma station and the purchase of modern freight scanning equipment. 

He explained that the new scanners will improve security and ensure that trains do not carry illegal or harmful items, thereby strengthening relations with neighbouring countries.

“The acquisition of this advanced scanning equipment will improve service reliability, enhance security in both passenger and freight transport, and we are very grateful to our government for this support,” Abdallah said.

He encouraged stakeholders in the freight transport sector to continue using TAZARA’s services, reassured by the enhanced security measures in place.