Minister of Transport Frank Tayali has said non harmonization of road transport regulations between Zambia and Tanzania is one of the major challenges Zambian Transport Businesses are currently facing at the Port and along the Dar–es–Salam Corridor.
During a recent consultative stakeholders engagement forum with the Tanzania Port Authority (TPA) and the Zambian Transport Businesses, Mr. Tayali said non prescribed fees imposed to transporters in Tanzania is another challenge.
The Ndola Central Member of Parliament said there is a need to facilitate the easy movement for people and goods between Zambia and Tanzania by eliminating all the identified barriers.
“I am very confident that this will enhance, strengthen and foster the good bilateral ties that already exist between the two sister republics. There are numerous potential benefits that can be harnessed from this engagement which include but not limited to the following: unlocking the business potential along the Dar es salam corridor; facilitating the easy movement for our people, goods and services by identifying and eliminating all the Non Tarrif Barriers; lowering the cost of doing business and reducing travel times along the corridor; and ultimately improving and stimulating regional intergration through the implementation of harmonized trade facilitation instruments, transport policies, laws, regulations and standards,” he said.
Mr. Tayali highlighted some of the challenges Zambian Transport Businesses are currently facing at the Port and along the Dar – es – Salam Corridor:
“Non harmonization of road transport regulations:The Axle Load Control Act of 2016 which imposes lower tonnages on super single tires reduced the carrying capacities and volumes of trucks and tankers. This reduction increases the cost of doing business which leads to the Dar ea Salaam Route being expensive for Zambian Transporters; the vehicle dimensions for some of the Zambian trucks and tankers despite being in conformity with the Standards in the SADC region are not compliant with the Tanzania Laws and Regulations. For instance, in Zambia, the permissible vehicle overall length for Rigid Vehicles is 13.5m while in Tanzania it is 12.5m, for Articulated vehicles in Zambia is 18.5 meters while in Tanzania it is 17meters. Therefore, a Zambian Rigid or Articulated Vehicle fully compliant to Zambian and SADC Regulations can not operate in Tanzania without an abnormal permit at a fee per single entry. This is also despite the fact that Tanzania and Zambia are both members of the SADC and COMESA regional groupings and there is a push to have these vehicle standards harmonized across the RECs,” he said.
“Zambian Petroleum Transporters are subjected to Sub Contracts by Tanzanian Transport Firms who get 10% commission for every transaction. Without being Sub Contracted the Zambian Transporter can not do transport business in Tanzania; in spite of being sub contracted, it takes several days to load Zambian owned trucks and tankers;Long Queues at the Port and at Nakonde/Tunduma Border;
Lack of mutual recognition of each other’s certificates that are issued by competent authorities in Zambia such as Weights and Metrology Agency and the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA); non prescribed fees imposed to transporters; and poor Freight and passenger railway services provided by the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA). These and many others,” Mr. Tayali said.
He added that amid challenges, it is also worthy recognizing the efforts the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania have continued to make in order to improve the service delivery at the Port and along the Corridor.
“Among the notable ones include but not limited to the following:Improved inland transport connectivity that connects the Port to various transit markets including Zambia and the DRC by developing modern rail and road infrastructure; Modenisation of the Dar –es- Salam Port by expanding infrastructure at the port in order to improve port efficiency aimed at enhancing trade with land-linked countries like Zambia; and the opening of an office for Tazania Port Authority in Lusaka to facilitate and promote quick port business services to Zambian Business community. In this regard, I encourage the Zambia business community to take advantage of this opportunity to access the TPA office here in Lusaka;I want to assure you that Zambia is committed and ready to corporate with the Government of the United Republic of Tazania in resolving all the challenges that will be identified in this meeting affecting both the Zambian and the Tanzania business community,” Mr. Tayali said.
I own oil transporting businesses and never in history of zambia have we experienced such levels of disruption caused by upnd. Friction at Congo borders and many other issues. Fat tayali is only good at shoving his mouth with burgers
That is alot of useless wording…. please put that in a GRAPH!!
When you interact with both passenger and goods transporters in Zambia, their story is different. Most have them fear to go beyond Nakonde because of superstitions. They say Tanzanians use charms to cause accidents so that Zambian operators don’t take business away from them. Even those that go to collect vehicles experience that, apart from inefficiency by port authorities and rampant theft of small items from Tanzanians. My advice to Tayali is to first consult with truck and bus operators, and other stakeholders before he comes up with a policy statement. You may be addressing a wrong problem
Tayali needs to consult with operators and passengers to set policy. I do not know what is wrong with this government. Even on something very simple they come up with complicated methods to explain. Just like the graphs we did not need any words like “harmonization”, bilateral, etc. The problem with Tanzania are bad roads from Lusaka to Nakonde and Tanzanians making it very hard for foreigners to operate in Tanzania so that they make money off them.