China bails out Tan-Zam Railways :: Mmegi Online

The project that came into being to give Zambia a lifeline to the seaport of Dar-es-Salaam after Ian Smith's Rhodesia closed the border with its 'black' neighbour and grew to become a vital inter-SADC link is being revitalised, thanks to Chinese intervention, writes PETER CHISHIMBA

NDOLA: Despite the criticism of Chinese investors in Zambia, Beijing has once again come to the rescue of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) - a vital link inter-SADC link - by availing a $39-million interest-free loan.

TAZARA, which is jointly owned by Tanzania and Zambia, has been teetering on a knife-edge with worn out tracks and wobbling wagons. The firm, which operates the 1,860-long railway line from Zambia's central town of Kapiri-Mposhi to the port city of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania, has been providing a vital passenger and cargo service for both countries.

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