The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Infrastructure has called on the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) to continue building the capacity of Tanzanian youth involved in the assembly and rehabilitation of metre gauge railway (MGR) locomotives. The Committee noted the need for structured training, both domestically and abroad, to enhance knowledge, skills and innovation.
The call was made by the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Honourable Selemani Kakoso, during a site visit to inspect the ongoing MGR locomotive assembly project at the Pugu workshop in Dar es Salaam on 14 March 2026.
Delays in the contractual delivery of spare parts from suppliers, due to the war between Ukraine and Russia, affected the delivery of MGR locomotives. In response, TRC transported two completed locomotive units assembled in Malaysia and imported components from suppliers, enabling the assembly of the remaining six locomotives locally.
The decision to assemble locomotives locally has significantly reduced the costs the government would otherwise have incurred importing them, while also creating employment opportunities for skilled Tanzanian youth.
