Minister of Transport Announces Inflated 2023 Budget

The Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Museba Tayali has announced that his department is aiming to raise revenues of K869 million in 2023. The ministry are proposing to spend K520 million between infrastructure, goods, services and the payment of salaries.

The minister was keen to emphasise the successes of the Ministry of Transport during the course of 2022. Tayali praised the repairs undertaken on Chambeshi bridge, and the ongoing work on the TAZARA railway. The railways links the port of Dar es Salaam with Zambia’s central province. The ministry and its counterpart in Tanzania have agreed to upgrade the railway as it was felt its current performance was holding back economic growth. The ministry is exploring bringing China on board as well as private sector partners in order to bankroll the project as the renovation of the 1219-kilometre track and its upgrade to standard gauge rails is set to come at considerable expense.

Continuing, the Minister praised the work undertaken to move towards the competition of Kasama Airport Runway which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

As part of the government’s attempts to devolve administration to more local levels of government, the Minister noted the establishment of twelve more local authorities able to offer Motor Vehicle Licensing.

However, in explaining the increased budget for 2023 the Minister emphasised not just the growing ambitions of the department but also some of the challenges that are yet to be overcome. In line with President Hichilema’s overall policy, the first year of this administration is seen as the year of stabilisation whilst the second government departments are determined to be one in which problems are resolved and Zambia’s potential is unlocked. 

The additional funds, it is hoped, will unlock improvements in rail and maritime infrastructure. The theft of railway materials is a particular inefficiency that the government seeks to resolve.

K68 million of the budget is for the payment of salaries, K268 million is for programme implementation and K144 million is for the procurement of assets.

When asked about his priorities for the year ahead, the minister raised a number of crucial points. Mongu and Solwezi Airports are set for upgrades, while construction is set to begin at the planned Kasaba Bay Airport. Legal and operation reforms are set to be enacted to improve water transport linkages. Both these areas are hoped to bolster the government’s attempts to boost the profile of Zambia as a tourist destination of extraordinary natural riches. As Hichilema has removed visa requirements for visitors from the EU, China and the US, a significant portion of transport infrastructural development is set to be targeted at increasing the ease of communication links between crucial hubs in the country.