AKA LEAVING TAZARA

                       This information is quoted from today’s THE POST of Zambia (Thursday, February 28, 2013)                                                         

  

Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika’s contract as the Managing Director of the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has not been renewed, says Transport and Communications Permanent Secretary Dr. Muyenga Atanga.

Dr. Atanga said Tanzania and Zambia were working at reviving the once vibrant railway line. “What we are doing is to revive the operations of TAZARA” Dr. Atanga said in an interview after a briefing on Tuesday. “There was less investment being put into TAZARA by both Zambia and Tanzania and as a result most infrastructure was dilapidated that we dropped from running 24 locomotives to eight over a period of time”. He said getting the right people to manage Tanzania- Zambia Railways was key in turning around the Uhuru railway line built by China.

“The governments of Tanzania and Zambia have started pouring in money. For example, in 2012, KR45 million was poured in by the Zambia government and the Tanzania government also poured in a reasonable amount of money. With that we have reorganized management,” Dr. Atanga said. “We are bringing in two different people at top level both for Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director. We have since advertised the two jobs…we have not renewed the contracts for both Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director.”

Zambia has committed to investing US$32 million expected to be released tomorrow while Tanzanians will also release an amount by April.

“That will be about US$64 million from both countries,” said Dr. Atanga.

And Mr. Mbikusita-Lewanika says TAZARA’s performance will continue to deteriorate in the absence of comprehensive and conclusive intervention towards recapitalization and working capital provision for sustainable performance improvement.

                    TANZANREP LUSAKA