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HH Tanzania trip highly beneficial
Post published:August 2, 2022
ZAMBIA and Tanzania have relished amiable relations from time immemorial and their citizens are considered to be the same people separated only by the colonial boundary. This alone symbolises good relations between the two sides, especially that Zambians and Tanzanians who reside along the border share experiences in various human undertakings. Tanzania and Zambia stand in the world as the most peaceful countries in Africa, and they have experienced economic growth since they attained independence from Britain in the early 1960s.
One of the accomplishments which make the two countries internationally known as ‘islands of peace’ is the smooth transfer of power from one political leader to another.
This attribute has been a challenge to some other African countries which are perennially embroiled in skirmishes, after getting plunged into dogmatic acrimony and killing innocent citizens. The warm bilateral cooperation between the two countries has in the past culminated in them jointly building and owning monumental projects like Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) and Tanzania Zambia Mafuta Pipeline (TAZAMA).
It is, therefore, timely and noteworthy that President Hakainde Hichilema has today found time off his busy schedule to undertake a two-day State visit to Tanzania at the invitation of his counterpart, Samia Hassan. While in Tanzania, going by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Stanley Kakubo, Mr Hichilema and President Hassan will hold bilateral talks on areas of mutual interest to enhance trade, investment and infrastructure development, among others. “This visit is highly significant as Tanzania remains a strategic partner as a link for transportation in the southern region for both freight and passengers through the eastern African seaport of Dar es Salaam,” Mr Kakubo said in a statement. “The two leaders are expected to engage on matters pertaining to Tanzania Zambia Railways, primarily operational issues, including revamping and capitalisation of the company.”
The two heads of State are also expected to discuss matters surrounding the 1,710-kilometre TAZAMA pipeline, as well as Nakonde-Tunduma One-Stop Border Post.
As such, President Hichilema is scheduled to tour the port of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam Standard Main Gauge Railway Station, TAZAMA Pipelines Limited, and TAZARA. The visit to Tanzania could not have been undertaken by President Hichilema at an opportune time than now when the two countries are working tirelessly to find ways of revamping operations of TAZARA, which employs around 2,800 workers. The railway, also called Uhuru Railway, was built between 1970 and 1975 by TAZARA with the ever-appreciated help of China to give landlocked Zambia a link to the port of Dar es Salaam as an alternative to export routes via rail. It is a bi-national railway linking the southern Africa regional transport network to eastern Africa’s seaport of Dar es Salaam, offering both freight and passenger transportation services.
Built on a stretch of 1,860 kilometres from Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, TAZARA offers passenger and cargo transportation services between and within the two countries, and efforts to revamp it cannot be over-emphasised. On the other hand, TAZAMA is equally significant to both countries, and it was primarily constructed to transport crude oil from Dar es Salaam into landlocked Zambia at an affordable and sustainable economic cost. The pipeline is owned by Tazama Pipeline Limited, a joint company of the governments of Zambia, which has 66.7 percent stake, and Tanzania with 33.3 percent shareholding.
It is, therefore, gratifying that President Hichilema and President Hassan will deliberate on these two iconic pieces of infrastructure which are of great economic value to the two countries.
Like others President Hichilema has already undertaken, trip to Tanzania will have great reimbursements to both countries.