By Isaac Zulu
The UPND government is contemplating concessioning TAZARA, insiders have disclosed.
Sources within TAZARA have said that the decision by the UPND government to concession the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority to a Chinese railway company is aimed at ensuring that the railway company becomes viable such that it will be able to meet its operational costs and salary obligations for employees.
“There is concern about the operations at TAZARA and the usual financial challenges that the railway company has been facing over the years. As you may be aware, TAZARA on the Zambian side has been failing to pay salaries for workers. You are also aware that the railway company had stopped running the train for a long time owing to the collapse of the Chambeshi bridge, and yet the UPND government continued to pay TAZARA workers who were not actually working. And now that the train has been running from Kapiri Mposhi to Dar-es-laam, it is government’s considered view that TAZARA should start meeting its operational costs and salary obligations,” the source explained. “In fact the Chinese were supposed to start running TAZARA in the first week of April 2023, but we are wondering why it is taking long for them to come on board. We are also informed that the Chinese railway company that will take up the running of TAZARA will have to get rid of certain workers, especially those that are reaching their retirement age. Of course they will be paid accordingly.”
The source further explained that there is some secrecy surrounding the whole concessioning discussions, saying this has left many workers at the railway firm with some skepticism.
“Management is not being open about the whole thing. They are not even calling for meetings with some heads of departments to update the employees over the matter. So we are still in the dark,” said the source.
But Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali could not be reached for a comment by press time, as his phone was constantly switched off.
TAZARA workers on the Zambian side have so far gone without salaries for four months.
Crews and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CRAWUZ) president Bevis Silumbe, when reached for a comment, could not pick up phone calls.
TAZARA Zambia regional manager Kambani Njovu could neither deny or confirm the development, saying only the Ministry of Transport and Logistics would be in a better position to issue a statement.
“You get back to the Ministry of Transport and Logistics. When concessioning TAZARA the shareholders, who are the Zambian and Tanzanian governments have to arrive at a final decision,” said Njovu.
Efforts to get a comment from chief government spokesperson Chushi Kasanda proved futile as her mobile number went unanswered by press time.
