Tazara set to move around 700,000 tonnes of goods by June next year

Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is set to move around 700,000 tonnes of goods by June next year, up from 600,000 hauled this year, signalling success in capacity rebuilding measures.

TAZARA Managing Director, Mr. Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika, told the TANZANIAN Minister of Transport Omari Nundu and his deputy, Dr Athumani Mfutakamba, on a visit to the institution’s head office that TAZARA performance had been steadily improving.

He informed the Ministers that, so far at the half way point, month to month performance this year has been at around 80 per cent of the budgeted level.

The Chief Executive said that, with current capacity building projects due to be completed by December 2012, it was expected that TAZARA would regain operational capacity to transport one million tons per annum, once again.

However, the Managing Director observed that even at that recaptured level of performance, the share of goods going by TAZARA would still be unsatisfactory.

Mr. Mbikusita-Lewanika said there was urgent need for massive additional investments and railway sector transformation aimed at enhancing haulage capacity to a level of five million tons annually in the years beyond 2012.

He pointed out that while in the early years TAZARA had been transporting as much as one million tons of freight, it had achieved this while accumulating losses to the tune of about US$59 million by 1983.

In his remarks the Minister urged Management to adopt best practices in addressing industrial relations in TAZARA.

He pointed out that where people live and work together it is usual to experience differences, but such problems needed to be promptly and amicably addressed.

Referring to recent industrial disturbances, the Minister announced that a Special Board Meeting is to be convened, and that it shall consider appointing an independent team of experts to independently review and investigate all contentious issues that have arisen.

He urged team spirit among staff and all employees, saying that both governments of Tanzania and Zambia were committed to finding lasting solutions to TAZARA.

The ministers’ visit followed a meeting with Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa, MP, Zambia’s Minister of Communication and Transport, who was in Dar es Salaam as a Special Envoy of President Rupiah Banda to deliver a message to President Jakaya Kikwete.

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