TAZARA’S NEW BOSS – REMEMBER WHEN?
Posted on 02 October 2009 by Railways Africa Editor
On 1 May 2004, Clement Mwiya – a former Zambia Railways employee – was appointed managing director of the ailing Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara), in succession to Charles Phiri. According to the Times of Zambia, Mwiya said the financial position of the company was not sound. Urgent measures were needed to redress the situation and restore customer confidence which was “eroded.” He promised he would revive the financial position of Tazara by refocusing on its core business and improving passenger services “to acceptable standards.” He intended, he said, to “realign equipment management”, with emphasis on an “active fleet”.
“We will put in place measures to control resource utilisation and curb abuse,” he was quoted saying. “We want to control costs to realise growth. We will also do away with all non-core business so that we focus on one”.
Four years later, according to East African Business Week, Tazara was “on the point of collapse” with barely six locomotives operable and wages unpaid for two months. Designed to move some 2.5 million tons a year, the line managed only 600,000t in 2008. Mwiya, his ambitions and promises unrealised, was replaced as managing director.
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- RVR CONCESSION
- MILLIONS LOST IN TANZANIA
- THE FM ON GAUTRAIN RUNNING TIMES
