Dar es Salaam/Dodoma/Morogoro. Tanzania has recorded its first standard gauge railway (SGR) accident since electric train operations began, following the derailment of an electric multiple unit (EMU) train at Ruvu in Coast Region on yesterday.
Before the incident, which occurred shortly after 8am, the SGR had reported only minor technical challenges such as brief power outages and yesterday’s derailment marked the first physical accident since the service was launched in June 2024.
Photos and videos shared online showed one section of the high-speed train off the tracks near a signal post, sparking public concern and debate over the cause.
Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) Director General Machibya Shiwa attributed the accident to an operational fault rather than infrastructure failure.
“There was a challenge in operations, not on the line. The infrastructure remained intact, except that an operational error caused the problem. That’s why we were able to restore services quickly,” Mr Machibya told The Citizen’s sister publication Mwananchi.
He said services resumed later in the day, with trains from Dodoma, Morogoro and Ruvu running as scheduled. “Only two services were affected—one from Morogoro to Dar es Salaam and the 9.30am train to Dodoma,” he said.
No fatalities or injuries were reported, although passengers described moments of fear and confusion. “It was just a scare; we didn’t see anyone injured,” said one commuter.
Passengers stranded
The accident occurred about 25 minutes after departure from Dar es Salaam’s Magufuli Station, forcing the temporary suspension of SGR operations and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.
At Magufuli Station, passengers expressed frustration over delayed communication.
“Since no one could confirm whether we would depart or not, I’ve decided to go to the airport instead. I have a meeting at 3pm and I’ve been here since morning with no update,” said Anastazia Njenge.
Another passenger, a German national identified as Johannes Muller, said he chose to return to his hotel and await further communication.
When Mwananchi visited the station, some passengers were leaving while others waited for updates. New arrivals continued to seek clarification after seeing reports of the derailment on social media.
In Morogoro, passengers at Jakaya Kikwete Station were also asked to postpone travel plans. “We were told the derailed train had blocked the line,” said Omary Mrisho.
Another passenger, Yusta Komba, said she had planned to travel to Dar es Salaam for her daughter’s send-off ceremony but had to cancel her trip.
In Dodoma, more than 800 passengers were left stranded at the Samia Suluhu Hassan SGR Station in Kikuyu South.
“We saw the news online, but there was no official communication,” said passenger Aisha Nurudin Saidi.
Previous incidents
Although this was the first derailment, the SGR service has previously experienced power and technical faults.
On September 9, 2024, an electric train stalled at Ngerengere for over three hours, leaving passengers heading to Dodoma stranded. Another outage on July 30, 2024, between Kilosa and Kidete halted operations for two hours.
On August 1, 2024, a Dodoma–Dar es Salaam train carrying passengers and dignitaries was delayed for several hours in Morogoro after attending the official service launch.
Common causes of train accidents
Experts say the most common causes of electric train accidents include human error, negligence, mechanical failure, speeding, track defects and unprotected crossings. Other contributing factors include faulty signals, misaligned rails and poor weather conditions.
Globally, derailments and collisions are the leading types of train accidents.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, an average of 1,800 train accidents occur annually worldwide, causing between 50 and 70 injuries and up to seven deaths.
In 2019, there were 1,848 recorded accidents—1,283 derailments, 115 collisions and 450 other incidents—resulting in 57 injuries and four deaths.
A year earlier, 1,934 accidents were reported, with 1,375 derailments, 86 collisions and 473 other cases, causing 204 injuries and seven fatalities.
Compiled by Hamis Mniha and Rachel Chibwete (Dodoma), Hamida Sharif (Morogoro) and Devotha Kihwelo and Herieth Makwetta (Dar es Salaam)
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