Tanzania, Zambia seek private investors for Tazara railway upgrade

Tanzania and Zambia are seeking for private investors for the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) project amid growing demand for freight transport on the Southern Corridor.

Tanzania’s Transport minister, Prof Makame Mbarawa, said that they were reviewing laws and the railway operating policies to open the doors for public-private partnerships to operate railways, including the 1,860km Tazara line, to boost cargo business on the transport corridor that links Tanzania, Zambia, DR Congo, Angola and Zimbabwe.   

Prof Mbarawa said they were looking for parties to provide wagons and engines. 

The revamp of Tazara, part of which is being bankrolled by China, would be crucial for the Dar es Salaam port, a major gateway to Zambia, Zimbabwe and the DRC.

Tanzania, China and Zambia in September signed a memorandum of understanding to upgrade the Tazara to increase its capacity for transporting goods and passengers.

Pretoria-based Rovos Rail is the only private company which has been rolling its luxury, tourist vintage train between Cape Town in South Africa and Dar es Salaam through Tazara over the years.

Rovos Rail added Lobito in Angola to its annual circuit covering South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania then Lubumbashi in DR Congo on the Benguela Railway.