Tanzania and Zambia Agree To Revive TAZARA Railway

The governments of Zambia and Tanzania have agreed to revive the TAZARA railway line, following meetings between President Hakainde Hichilema and his Tanzanian counterpart President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Dar es Salaam. 

According to President Hassan, the leaders have agreed to work closely to revitalised key post-independence infrastructure projects that link their two nations, including the TAZARA line and the Tanzania-Zambia Crude Oil Pipeline.

“Tanzania and Zambia are long-time friends. We have agreed to further promote these relations which now should be translated into economic and trade relations to improve the lives of our people,” President Hassan said 

TAZARA was initially constructed between 1970 and 1975 using an interest-free loan from China. The line opened in 1976, running some 1,860km between Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. The railway line was a vital conduit for trade between the two countries, creating jobs and bolstering economic growth.

Responding to Ms Hassan’s statement, President Hichilema reflected that the good relations between Tanzania and Zambia were the legacy of the two countries’ founding fathers, Julius Nyerere and Kenneth Kaunda, who understood the importance of connecting the two nations. 

“We need to work together because our relationship and co-existence is historical, we were together in the struggle for independence, since then we have worked together and our people have been one,” he said.