Tazara@50: Revitalisation ‘best tribute’ to railway heroes

Speaking at the Chinese Memorial Cemetery in Gongo la Mboto, Dar es Salaam, Tazara managing director and chief executive officer, Mr Bruno Ching’andu said the most meaningful way to honour those who died during construction was to ensure the railway they built remains operational and continues serving communities.

“The greatest tribute we can pay is to ensure that the railway they built continues to serve the people for whom it was intended,” Mr Ching’andu told government officials and diplomats.

“Revitalisation is about preserving a legacy by giving it new life. It is about restoring this historic railway so that it continues to connect our nations, facilitate trade, create jobs, and support economic development for generations to come,” added.

Mr Ching’andu praised Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her Zambian counterpart Hakainde Hichilema for what he described as visionary leadership in committing to a landmark Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession.

He said the decision had created a foundation for restoring Tazara to sustainable operations by unlocking the largest investment in the railway since its construction.

In Lusaka, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing described Tazara as an enduring symbol of freedom, friendship, and development.

He said efforts to revitalise the railway represented “the finest tribute” that could be paid to the heroes who died during the challenging construction period.

Zambia’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, Mr Fredrick Mwalusaka, said remembrance should be accompanied by practical action.

“The greatest memorial we can offer them is not simply to remember what they built, but to ensure that what they built continues to serve future generations,” he said.

Mr Mwalusaka said revitalising Tazara was not merely a transport project but a regional economic transformation initiative.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, by Tazara's head of public relations, Mr Conrad Simuchile, the ceremonies reaffirmed the commitment of Tanzania, Zambia, and China to preserving Tazara’s legacy while positioning the railway as a strategic corridor for economic opportunities.

Revitalisation plan

Tazara's major revitalisation programme, valued at $1.4 billion (about Sh3.6 trillion), aimed at restoring the railway’s capacity and improving its role as a key regional transport corridor.

The project is being implemented by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which has secured a 30-year concession to rehabilitate and operate the railway linking Zambia’s Copperbelt with the Port of Dar es Salaam.

The programme, officially launched in November 2025, has entered the implementation phase, with CCECC mobilising equipment, technical personnel, and logistical resources to support rehabilitation works.

Engineering teams are conducting detailed technical assessments of the 1,860-kilometre railway network, focusing on critical infrastructure including tracks, bridges, culverts, signalling systems, and other operational assets.

The assessments will guide phased rehabilitation works, prioritising sections requiring urgent intervention to improve safety, reliability, and efficiency.

Tazara’s infrastructure has faced years of deterioration, while shortages of locomotives and wagons have affected passenger and freight services.

Upon completion, the revitalised railway is expected to significantly increase passenger and cargo capacity, improve service reliability, and reduce transport costs along the Dar es Salaam–Zambia trade route.

The upgraded system will enhance cross-border trade, strengthen regional integration, and reaffirm Tazara’s position as a strategic economic link between Tanzania, Zambia, and the wider Southern African region.