Editorial Cartoon

Since privatised about three years ago, the Tanzania Railways operations have remained unreliable, clouded mainly by endless strikes and serious technical glitches paralysing both transport of passengers and cargo.

Once considered the heart of the country’s transport system, has become chaotic and unpredictable, casting a bleak future to the capability of the Indian based investors, who were given a lucrative contract to operate the then Tanzania Railways Corporation.

From defective engines and wagons to the disappointed workers, TRL has become a doomed house under the umbrella of privatisation, raising a fresh debate on whether the move to welcome the so called investors was done thoroughly and blatantly.

Unpleasant scenarios are bound to come up if one sketches mental pictures of how Tanzania would have been like minus the central railway line.

Effective independence struggle is critically anchored on, among other factors, mobilisation of indigenous people against colonial rule. Availability of a transport network is key to the facilitation of that goal, and more-so for a vast country like ours. The rail line answered that need. From various stations along the major routes, or the ultimate destinations, those spearheading the uhuru campaign moved further inland by surface and maritime transport.

In the absence of the rail line that stretches from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma and Mwanza from Tabora; plus subsidiary arteries to Tanga and Moshi from Dar es Salaam, interaction amongst Tanzanians hailing from numerous tribes, and by extension consolidation of national cohesion, would have been slower.

Economic development as well as consolidation of education, health and other sectors, all of which are heavily shaped by the movement of people and goods, would have similarly been slower.

We started off well after gaining independence in 1961, within the east African regional network to which Kenya and Uganda were also linked under the East African Railways Corporation banner. Passenger and goods trains run on time, and services were superb.

The current TRL muddle would have been avoided if lessons drawn from previous privatisations or joint partnership arrangements had been heeded.

It is apparent that the performance record and financial strength of the Indian company involved was not fully examined. It is laughably scandalous, for instance, that at some stage, it begged the government to bail it out financially when it was cash-strapped.

Crucially, however, the experience shows that railway services are better managed by states rather than private companies. The security dimension is also paramount for sensitive sectors that should be rated second to the military, like railways, airways, ports, electricity and water supply.

These factors provide a strong case for the government to repossess TRL, currently mired in industrial conflicts and serious inconveniences to passengers. Acts of life-threatening sabotage, fuelled by anger amongst some staff over managerial ineptitude, make that need even more compelling.

Basic requisites in terms of local managerial and technical expertise are available. All it takes is to marshal it into a productive force, but operating within an environment in which sound administrative systems, creative planning, proper procurement procedures, judicious investment decisions, financial discipline and other positive attributes are cultivated, enforced and consolidated.

Beyond domestic benefits, the central line has a huge, mainly untapped regional potential by way of hauling goods to and from destinations near Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Converting the railways outfit into a vibrant revenue generator and superb service provider is not a day dream but a realistic proposition.

It’s for this reason we strongly believe that the government should re-posses TRL for the interest of the general public as well as the economy of the country.