Central African Corridor Company (CACC), has called on government to enforce Statutory Instrument Number 7 compelling the movement of 30 percent of bulk and heavy cargo via railway transport.
The company is one of the cargo handlers for the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) at its New Kapiri Mposhi station.
CACC Director, Robert Conventry observed that the SI has never been operationalized since its introduction in 2018.
Mr Conventry explained that the non-enforcement of the SI has continued to negatively affect business for TAZARA and companies in the railway industry to low cargo inflow for import and export through the railway network.
Mr Conventry made the appeal when Ministry of Information and Media, Acting Permanent Secretary, Nalituba Mwale, toured TAZARA in Kapiri Mposhi to mark the 2021 SADC Day.
Mr Conventry stated that the dry port with capacity to handle over 30,000 tons of heavy and bulk cargo per month was being underutilized as it was currently handling less than 8000 tons.
” Despite Government bringing the SI into effect in 2018 it has never been implemented hence we are not getting any support from transporters moving heavy and bulk cargo on the roads, we hope that the new government will look into this issue as it is strategic to the survival of the rail industry,” Mr Conventry said.
He complained that none of the local mining companies are moving their cargo that include copper using the railway.
“All the copper that we are handling for TAZARA for now is coming from Congo, all local mining companies are not supporting us opting for the road,” he said.
And TAZARA Chief Executive Officer, Bruno Ching’andu says TAZARA has capacity to move the 30 percent from road to rail once the SI is actualized.
The 2021 SADC Day under the theme: TAZARA Operations Amid COVID-19 was commemorated in Kapiri Mposhi district to showcase the role of TAZARA in the economy and integration of the SADC region.
If this government will manage to order at least 30percent rail transport to carry copper and other related goods , will help the load on roads to be reduced drastically hence roads will have more years of their life span.
Very soon you will see all these haulage owners like Sable Transport and Co start making huge donations to the ruling party and this SI will just be on paper …plus the Railway needs more tangible investment. One Clive Chriwa was bushing for this and look what happened to him,
Improve rail service, it’s speed and security and traffic will follow. Cargo moves by road because either, there is no rail or rail service is poor
What nonsense. The railway network goes nowhere and is not in a state to even carry ONE percent to anywhere. Trains go at 5 km/h because houses have been built on train tracks! This ain’t going anywhere
Wishful thinking… one there’s no railway to talk of and where it exists you are lucky if you receive your cargo on time or if you will receive it at all. Two those trucks we see on the roads belong to very influential individuals on both sides of the political divide. I wish you luck.