Tanzania Zambia Railways Authority -TAZARA- Managing Director Akashambatwa Lewanika has written to President Michael Sata indicating his willingness to step down as Managing Director for the joint national railway company.
Mr Lewanika says he has decided to offer himself to be replaced because the effective operations of the TAZARA Managing Director require political will and support.
He has noted that with the coming in of the new government in Zambia, there is need to appoint a new Managing Director and that he is willing to step aside.
And Mr Lewanika says TAZARA needs over 7-hundred million US dollars to meet its financial requirements.
Mr Lewanika told a media briefing in Lusaka on Friday that of the total amount of money required to ensure the smooth running of TAZARA, over 4-hundred Million US Dollars should come from the government of Zambia.
He says this should be so, because the survival of TAZARA is critical to the Zambian economy.
Mr Lewanika has pointed out that TAZARA has a lot of challenges which need to be addressed by both the government of Zambia and Tanzania.
ZNBC
AKA HAS DONE THE RIGHT THING COZ PF LED GOVT WILL HAVE ITS OWN APPOINTEE AS CEO FOR TAZARA AND ITS UP TO THE GOVT TO ACCEPT HIS RESIGNATION OR NOT. THAT IS HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.
why…finshi muletina….just ask the govt for funding thats all…..mwaliiba ba mudala….
You a staunch MMD cadre you saw the axe coming baba, who doesnt know that all the MMD cadres wheather proffesional or otherwise will be axed to pave way for real development. Twakana, Twakana
 “decided to offer himself to be replaced because the effective operations of the TAZARA Managing Director require POLITICAL will and SUPPORT.”   This is sweet surrender :)
I would do the same thing if I were in his shoes. I actually wonder why heads of gov. organisations and departments are waiting to be fired first In 1991 everyone went..
TAZARA IS JUST ONE OF THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE FAILED TO DELIVER AND AKA KNOWS THAT. IF HE DELIVERED, HE WAS NOT GOING TO RESIGN BUT HE KNOWS VERY WELL THAT, SINCE HE WAS APPOINTED AS MD, NOTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED AT TAZARA AND LOOKING AT PF EXPECTATIONS, HE IS BELOW PAR. HOPE NO MONEY WASÂ SIPHONED FOR MMDÂ CAMPAIGNSÂ FROM YOUR TAZARA AKA, OR ELSE YOU WILL BE IN SHIIIT.
He’s fearing for his job. If he was corrupt – He’s OUT!!! If he dedicated himself to working for the people of Zambia. H.E Sata will keep him……….Lets wait and see…
I am happy some guys are still wise enough yo read the writing on the wall.Good move bo Lewanika.
TAZARA was used by MDD to FERRY ALL Campaign Materials from Dar to Kapiri without paying any TAX.
This is intresting as AKA is sharp and he so this coming thus the best is to resign. I hope SATA will not appoint someone on political lines otherwise TAZARA will never achieve its mandate.
You should have offered your resignation to the appropriate minister and not the president. Ministers should be encouraged to do their job and making the president make every decision is counter productive and encourages dictatorship
That is the office that is dealing with most firings ,so AKA knows what is going on.Â
AKA OFFERED TO RESIGN IN ADVANCE BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT HE WOULD BE THE NEXT ONE TO BE FIRED BY MR SATA AND DOING SO AKA HAS SAVED HIMSELF FROM DISGRACE. LETS SEE WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS TO SAY.
When the tough gets going, then going gets tough.
Pepe BaMalikopo it is not shame to be fired but just a correct norm to be replaced. Except Basata is using the term wrongly. Bo Lewanika knows where his royalty is and giving Basata is not his principle of mind and personal intergrity. At least he has even warned of the next MD should they “fire” him. He may have seen the axe but guess what it took too much time to land.
AKA, good example of maturity.
That is the office that is dealing with most firings ,so AKA knows what is going on. He is a learned man who can read between the lines. Good big mann
AKA is a smart guy, he has seen the axe falling right, left and centre and does not want it to fall on him, he would rather he falls on his sowrd, ZNBC and ZESCO Directos could have done same thing and saved their CVs to cotnain word, fired from job!!!
AKA is just a failure, from a minister, to a political party president-Agenda for Zambia, to an MD. Next…….?
TAZARA need $700 million? How useful is TAZARA really?
Ever since TAZARA was set over 35 years ago it has stumbled from one incompetent management to another like in Greek tragedies, nothing much to show for it except pain. The whole system of managing the republic needs drastic overhauling and redesign. The president should have liquidated everything and started afresh on day one in office.
The man in the picture doesn’t look like Aka. I think this is someone else who resembles Aka!
Good afternoon
To me TAZARA is still one of the best examples of Chinese investment in Africa and I wonder why it has failed to stand the test of time. Is it gross mismanagement of the infrastructure on both sides or simply lack of maintenance?
Well, Mr. Lewanika is definately right in his assumption that the government has to intervene if this project is to be revived to the success that it once was. Of course there are huge sums of money involoved but I think that if the new gov’t can convince other neighbouring governments of the importance of connecting countries, they can also contribute financially to make Zambia a major country of transit for the southern region.
$700 Million is too much for one company to gobble. Even our copper mines were sold at as low as $7 Million, finance bank $5.3 Million. Please privatise TAZARA, it is not worth it as alternative routes to the coast have been opened after the end of liberation wars and aparthed.
It is sad to see people revel in other peoples mis-fortunes. These people are losing their livelihoods and others are busy celebrating. We all want to join in the celebrations as Mr President cleans the country of all rougue elements but I can’t help but feel that somewhat it’s not all about being corrupt but rather about being weeded out for smiling along with MMD. And such vindictive politics, I cannot rejoice in. It is easy to point fingers at everyone fired as being corrupt. But no evidence of such corruption is being put forward and with the number of “lapses” we’ve seen in the last two weeks, one can’t help but wonder…..
It takes guts to resign and the best way to keep your CV than to say “Finally I want to thank you Mr President for giving me
the opportunity to resign eventhough the letter I received said I was fired.” Good move Mr AKA just hope you never get involved in corruption after being investigeted. All the best in the world as you look for another job.
We need Younger Innovate Leaders to move Tazara forward, all these Organizations have become stale, no new ideas hence the losses they make. Thank you Aka, let others come also contribute.
LET’S HOPE HE DIDN’T FORGET TO TELL THE PRESIDENT THE MISTREATMENT OF ZAMBIAN EMPLOYEES IN TANZANIA BY THEIR FELLOW TANZANIAN WORKERS WHICH IS ORCHESTRATED BY THE DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR, WHO HAS VOWED TO SEPARATE TAZARA IN REGIONS DESPITE JOINTLY OWNED EQUIPMENTS BEING LOCALIZED IN TANZANIA.ZAMBIAN LOCOMOTIVES IN MBEYA SHOULD BE BROUGHT BACK TO ZAMBIA.
Time has finally come when all corrupt leaders must leave their offices. AKA your time has come. Kuya bebele.
Zambia needs TAZARA much more than Tanzania being a landlocked country, so it is up to GRZ to invest in it or privatize. TAZARA is a strategic company for GRZ, if maintained properly, it can be one of the most profitable companies in the region. The govt should ban the use of roads to export minerals such as copper and oil. GRZ spends billions of tax payers money trying to fix roads every year which can be saved if Govt came up with a deliberate policy to ban transportation of heavy goods on the road. I am sure the Chinese are more that ready to buy back that rail line. I would advise the new President not to do what Chiluba did by firing all qualified personnel because of political party affiliations. Zambia is bigger than one political party so let us hire staff on merit.
I hear Ernest Mupwaya is available. Would be the natural successor to Aka. He’s a loyal, dedicated man with vast knowledge. Hire him yesterday. If he turns it down, Fundanga is also available.
Congrats AML for offering to resign, this is maturity. I hope the Chief Justice his deputy and the many who characterised Michael Sata, as some kind of baffoon, should step down in like manner and they will win the respect of the Zambian people.
While we appreciate that you are educated, you were placed in a wrong position just for political appeasement.However,If you have written that letter as a way to down play President Sata, then you are wrong.He already knows your personality.
Just resign promptly to avoid embarrasement of being fired.
the mad presido is doing evrything.AKA is wiser tan the cobra,.
@23
He is talking in terms of modernising the whole system including the tracks, do you know how much a Diesel locomotive unit costs those things haven’t been touched since the 70s even the US’s railway is considered outdated in Europe.Â
AKA that’s the way it goes. Advise your colleagues at Zambia Daily Mail, NAPSA etc to follow your example. They shouldn’t wait to be axed because the role they played in buoying a corrupt RB regime is well known. Save President Sata time by voluntarily stepping down.
Why offer to resign when you can just resign/ retire there and then??
Iam ashamed as a Zambian at least from this blog. The reason is because we in Zambia are unable to identify Zambian nationals who have demonstrated both in working life and out of work life the level of integrity. In my on-going reaserch over this subject AKA stands out. He is a simple individual whose conduct is self evident in his convictions to the beliefs, ideals and morals he enspouses. Simple as is was main archtect of the origin mmd ideals of multipatism. Though not held high office within mmd and yet committed to it. If ever, there are other Zambians who match AKA I would be pleased to know, as of now I am proud to have had late John Mwanakatwe and Mr Akashambatwa. Country men your comments on AKA falls short of self insulting, he is a role model second to none in Zambia.
To demonstrate his convictions he offers to step aside not as a weknes or fear as some would want us to believe, but true to his heart and conscious he has to give chance to the strategy the new government has put in place for Zambia-Tanzania railway company. He does so typical to a nationalist attitude advising committment requirements to the Railway company to be effective and deliver a service to Zambia. Zambian have self belief of your fellow Zambians who have raised the bar of integrity in our country.
HE DIDI NOT HOLD HIGH OFFICE IN MMD BECAUSE AKA AND LATE B. NKUMBULA TURNED DOWN THE PORTFORLIOS ASSIGNED TO THEM . THEY EXPECTED BETTER. MAY BE YOU WERE STILL A TODLER MUNE DEKHANE!
TAZARA HAS ABUSED. The organization would have been history if it had not been for the support it had been receiving from China.
All the managing directors and Regional General Managers TAZARA appointed, come only to milk the company leaving the organization crippled and workers with no Retirement Package, poor salaries and no good conditions of service.
Despite TAZARA being a key factor to the development of this country, it has only been used to fund the MMD, transport campaign materials and enrich few individuals through unnecessary Substance Allowances and thefts.
The AUDITED REPORT of 2006 by government auditors was put under carpet.
The PF government and there counterparts in Tanzania should look into this issue seriously.
TAZARA HAS BEEN ABUSED. The organization would have been history if it had not been for the support it had been receiving from China.
All the managing directors and Regional General Managers TAZARA appointed, come only to milk the company leaving the organization crippled and workers with no Retirement Package, poor salaries and no good conditions of service.
Despite TAZARA being a key factor to the development of this country, it has only been used to fund the MMD, transport campaign materials and enrich few individuals through unnecessary Substance Allowances and thefts.
The AUDITED REPORT of 2006 by government auditors was put under carpet.
The PF government and there counterparts in Tanzania should look into this issue seriously.
@35, i can`t agree with you more. You sound like an educated person. The problem is we have shallow minds on this blog who discuss people instead of principles and policies. AKA is not a party cadre like most of the bloggers on this forum, and resigning from such an office would be a direct insult the appointing authority – Presidency. Now, Presidency is the office and not the occupant. TAZARA is not like ZESCO or NAPSA, it is a joint venture between two governments. Do you expect the Tanzanian people to respect the Zambian authorities if they keep on firing their own personnel. This is MGT 101, if you bloggers have never been to college.
Not # 35 but 37.Â
Those calling for us in the young generation to take over please provide names, cause there are alot of uncooth individuals in our ranks as well. Tazara needs a head from a different region, get a Botswanian to run it, he wont have political ties and will have his nations honor to protect.
Aka the true son of barotseland, the courageous prince of the plain. Go home and provide leadership like your father and grand father, both kings of bulozi. Amb and High Commissioners, you cannot servr two masters, Rupiah and Michael. Go home.
Whilst I do not know Mr. Aka Lewanika personally, I believe he is quite visionary, wasn’t he who formed MMD with his friend Derrick Chitala even offering his own house as the first secretariat of MMD? In 1992 Aka demonstrated his forthrightness by resigning as a Minister in MMD government a few months after MMD had gotten into Government, how many Ministers, CEOs’ or PSs’ have ever resigned in Zambia out of principle? He made it quite clear back then that the new Government had taken a different route and direction from what they had mapped-out for Zambia following the removal of UNIP. In short the MMD had been hijacked by opportunists whose Agenda was to stuff their own pockets with looted public funds, a trend which had continued until RB the peasant farmer was removed by MCS
Aka, u want Sata to push for u to jump…u can jump on ur own…
RB in conceding defeat admited in his own words, “we did not litsen”, it is quite clear that the moving of Aka from position of Political Advisor to MD TAZARA was to sideline him as he did no fit into the Agenda of RB and his hench-men in State House or the inner circle. TAZARA needs a serious meeting of minds between the two Governments, the problems of TAZARA are beyond one man, perhaps a Bionic-MD might change the fortunes of TAZARA singlehandedly how possible is that? Otherwise those labelling Aka as a theorist are unfair to his true character and achievements, the trouble with the culture MMD brought was that to be practical you must line your pockets with looted funds, build mansions with public funds, educate your children with ill gotten proceeds, if you do not subscribe to this
to that culture you were regarded as a failure. Aka has to his credit the formation of MMD which practically became the rulling party for 20 years in Zambia, how theoretical is that? When Aka was Director of Projects at Indeco in the late 1970s’ he had to his credit the creation of Mansa Batteries, Luangwa Bycles, Choma Mealing to name some of the projects that he initiated, how theoretical is thatt? Under the MMD it was difficult to be a free spirit if working in Government, it is evident how the era of MMD is taking down with it many Zambians who were once highly credible intellectuals, all because they compromised their idealogies, profession and principles for a piece of cake. Better to have a clear conscience than to morgatge ones life, future of children by a peer of croocks.
On that score I am glad that MMD is out. And the cleaning process by PF is most welcome. As someone who lost many many friends back home during the reign of MMD, mainly due to redundancies resultant effect of depression and curable deseases, I am delighted that MMD is sunk. I thank RB for destroying the evil ship may he enjoy his painful retirement, now the spirits of our departed friends and relatives can rest in eternal peace. As for MCS get them, let them account for their misdeeds, so that Zambia can be the real model of democracy it is meant to be come 2016. Sharp, Sharp!
That’s the right thing to do. You resign if you can not respect your boss
Wise move bo Lewanika! You dod well to show that you are willing to step down before the Under grade 5(Sata) find an accusation to fire you. Wiseman indeed, i hope others will learn from you.
Feed The Future @10, I have trouble understanding how you come to the conclusion that AKA is “sharp”. AKA has been a failure all his life. There is nothing that AKA has touched that has not collapsed and failed. Just give me one example that this sorry chap has been successful at. Just one. Blog from facts, don’t just blow hot air because it feels good.
ZIZI – A – ZOZI #49 There is some truth in your argument however, its your lack of connecting how origin MMD began with Chiluba and destroyed industries (in which some of your colleagues have passed on probably due to depression M.T.R.I.P). Similarlities need to be drawn with PF. PF wants to score popular political goals, Chiluba did with brown envelopes and tribalist Sata is handing jobs at state house where no one dare ask. These may be worse than MMD only time will tell. So comment your perception over PF with few weeks in office and its trend in years to come if not checked?
The tribal bigotry that bedevils Zambian minds stinks to the very heavens above. To all those who keep on calling Aka a failure, carefuly listen to your hearts and let thy minds dive into memory lane to enable your eyes to see what this patriotic son of the soil did at INDECO; his role in forming the MMD which ultimately dislodged a one party dictatorship that was entrenched in Zambia for a quarter of a century! If you listen on the tone of your vernomous verbature, you will realise it is your tribally bogited hatred of Aka speaking, not your minds. And with the speed at which Sata is pummeling thy sorry country, I do not see other roadmap than Mogadishu, Zambians are doomed for electing a mad man and rightly so. You have come full cycle lipombwe tuni!
very good AKA. WE ARE NOW WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE TWO TAZAMA THIEVES, THE MD MR. MUZELENGA AND HIS UNOFFICIAL Â DEPUTY, THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND ENGINEERING MR. KIKULA. YOU MUST GO NOW.
I am not sure that is the right thing to do, but then again the government has no business managing a money draining concern such as TAZARA. Full or part privatisation of the railway company is the way forward. Government can better utilise the $400M or so elsewhere. Wake up please.
This man has shown the other guys how to go not those fools who were rushing to issue bootlicking statements. Aka has always spoken from a principled point of view. He has always done the unexpected and I bet you this is not the last you will hear from him. Freind or foe biyatch! How many people have resigned from ministerial positions when they did not really have to. Who was the first to mention the necessity of a good constitution, corruption in mmd in parliament. check the records(hansard)
Paving way for the youth, I suppose. The new retirement age is 65yrs.
What comes next? Tazara can be such behind in terms of finances?Loosing money and not making it?We really need some effort there and not only by the gov but all parties concerned .
Aka is a the best President Zambia never had. He is principled and doesn’t steal.
Mpondela should follow suit,than uku sebana.Any way where he go marambishi cha.That is the boy who will soon get finished 15 girls bonse talk time 50 pin a day.
#52, You are really fake. We know AKA but we don`t know you. It means you are the biggest failure. Tell us one thing that you have done yourself.
Typical of PF cadres. They think alike. Why insult a person like Aka for simply indicating that his principles and values cannot get along with the new administration`s way of doing things? Aka is a good visionary guy—-becoz without him and other guys like Dipak, Chitala etc the political trajectory of our country would not be what it is today. How about some bit of civility and just tell the guy, good luck!
Dont accept his offer to be replaced. if he is incompetent just fire him like you have done with the others.
Only Bembas have been condeming AKA. the reason is simple, they don’t like Lozis. So now he has resigned, all you Bembas just dive in and go and steal – that is what you wanted. This PF govt is the crapiest that Zambia has ever had. We are all busy laughing at the level of mediocrity that is creeping in with a president who can’t even read. I would be embarrassed if Sata was from my province. AKA brought you multiparty democracy that you are now enjoying, you bastards – while he was working at it you were busy eating and shi.tting!! Go in now, it is your time to steal and leave the country broke after RB has left govt with the biggest foreign reserves since independence at over US$2billion. Bembas will loot all that by 2016, because they have no clue how to produce – they only steal.
Well,#52 Fake Journalist: I share your view. Perhaps or most likely #10 does not know thesee guys. He could have just said, He made a calculated move and end there. Some of us who know the perfomance of these guys & opt to remain mute. I am glad you did not elaborate much in companies where he worked and all collapsed, some us knows. Let just wish him well.
‘Willingness to resign’!!!! What a buffon. Just quit you fool. Where have you been all this time for you to start highlighting the financial needs of the company now?? Why didnt you tell your unprecedented corrupt friend RB about the money needed to revamp TAZARA??
1. $700 seems a bit too much. If Tazara can consume this much money, it should at least make that much. If they need this much, they should spread the requirements over a period of time, say 7 years.
2. It is honorable that public servants are resigning on moral grounds. Zed has plenty capable manpower.
3. MMD is gone. Deal with it and move on. I’d like to see a post on ANY Zambian page that does NOT include MMD.
AKA HAS NEVER WAITED TO BE FIRED BY ANYONE. THATS A BEST MOVE. STEP ASIDE AND LET OTHER PEOPLE TRY.
Mongu Queen, be analytical!!! AKA had no choice but to throw in the towel before the axe lands, however the PF govt should seriously look at ways of making TAZARA to be much more profitable to Zambia, Zambia needs TAZARA much more than Tanzania needs it, we are a landlocked country hence we stand more to benefit from this facility, Sata is our President and thats a fact we cant ignore lets support him, better with Sata than the worstfull MMD, let alone UPND.
Well nothing to say but just to wish comrade Aka the best in his future endeavours. History is always the best judge. Aluta continua, Africa shall be free VUMANI MADODA!!! AMANDLA!!! Africa shall indeed be free.
Brother AKA knew that it was comming.H.E.Michael Sata Should re appoint HENRY CHIPEWO of UPND many TAZARA employees on both sides spoke well of H.CHIPEWO the man who improved lUSAKA CITY TERMINALS and Kenneth Kaunda printing company.Chipewo is an engineer with bias in transport.
I wish AKA the best in his future endeavours. How I wish Zambia had principled men like AKA. Definitely, AKA was going to find it hard to work with Sata. Remember that AKA and the late Nkumbula resigned from the Chiluba government citing corruption as the main reason. Sata was in Chiluba’s inner circle. As someone has already pointed out, history is the best judge.
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