DIESEL SHORTAGE HITS TAZARA

By Isaac Zulu in Kapiri Mposhi

Six TAZARA goods trains are marooned at three different points due to lack of diesel at the railway company.Sources within Tazara, and Workers Union of TAZARA Secretary General Africa Mkandawire confirmed the developments.

The sources said more than a week had elapsed since the trains carrying different merchandise ran out of diesel.“The goods trains are marooned… it’s close to two weeks since they ran out of fuel,” said a Tazara worker who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Three trains are stuck at Mbeya, two are at Chozi and one is at Mulubila. All these are goods trains.

 And the reason why they are stuck is because Tazara has been without diesel for more than two weeks. At the same time, we have not been paid our salaries for two months now. There’s something wrong with the system at management level.”

And Mkandawire confirmed the development in an interview on Wednesday.

However, Mkandawire was quick to point out that Tazara, management, with the involvement of both the Zambian and Tanzanian governments, would address the situation before the end of the week.

“Yes, the goods trains have been without fuel and had to park while management and the two governments are trying to sort out the matter. They are trying to come up with a lasting solution,” he explained. “As I speak to you, Honourable Panji Kaunda [deputy minister of transport] is in Tanzania meeting his Tanzanian counterpart; discussing the same issue of lack of diesel. But this will be addressed before the end of the week.”

On delayed salaries, Mkandawire said: “Its true workers have gone without salaries for two months. But I can assure TAZARA workers that both governments and management have shown commitment to addressing these challenges. A memo has just been issued …. it came by Email. In the memo workers have been assured that they will be paid their salaries before Friday.”

Meanwhile, clearing agents in Kapiri Mposhi district have complained that their business has been affected due to delay by Tazara, to deliver their customers’ merchandise.

“Due to non-availability of fuel at Tazara, our operations have been affected,” complained Zambia Freight Forwarders Association, Kapiri Moshi-based board member Ronald Simwanza. For trains marooned at Mbeya, it’s almost a month since they started telling us that they don’t have diesel. 

This has impacted negatively on our businesses as clearing agents, this has inconvenienced our clients, [it] has led to reduced revenue collection at ZRA [Zambia Revenue Authority]. We thought we could cut on running costs by working with our stakeholders like Tazara. But this is the worst we expect from Tazara because it is a parastatal company.”