Tanzania has unveiled plans to invest $350-million in a project to upgrade and modernise its railway network in an effort to become the preferred connection hub in East and Central Africa.
The East African nation’s Minister of Transport, Harrison Mwakyembe, says rail lines connecting the country with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo will be upgraded to facilitate smooth and seamless transportation of goods and passengers in the three countries.
The project, which will be carried out by the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority, is aimed at ensuring that Tanzania is in a position to vie with neighbouring Kenya as the region’s connecting hub.
“The plan is to repair and upgrade the tracks, change the national network to standard gauge and acquire new wagons and locomotives,” says Mwakyembe.
The planned upgrade comes at a time when Tanzania has partnered with Rwanda and Burundi to construct a $5-billion standard-gauge railway line that will run from the port city of Dar es Salaam to Kigali, in Rwanda, as well as a branch line to Burundi.
These investments, coupled with the ongoing expansion of the Port of Dar es Salaam at a cost of $400-million, will enable Tanzania to easily connect all its landlocked neighbours.
When the upgrade has been completed, Tanzania will be able to transport 35-million tons of cargo a year to and from the interlinked countries.