CEAR implores community members to take part in securing railway properties against vandalism

* Let us avoid vandalising as well as encroaching railway lines to avoid future problems

* We can take a proactive stance and try to prevent such problems. Such tendency degrades the country’s development

By Mercy Nsaliwa, MANA

Central East African Railways (CEAR) — in conjunction with Chileka Police — have launched an awareness campaign against encroachment and vandalism of railway lines around Chileka area with an aim of sensitising community members to take part in securing railway properties.

The awareness campaign launch took place on Tuesday at Jameson in the area of Traditional Authority Machinjiri where there is an increase of railway line vandalism and in his speech, Chileka community policing coordinator, Sub-Inspector Emmanuel Kalungu urged people to be responsible citizens in safeguarding railway lines. saying they have a role to play in protecting railway equipment.

“Let us avoid vandalising as well as encroaching railway lines to avoid future problems or we can take a proactive stance and try to prevent such problems. Such tendency degrades the country’s development,” he said.

Village Head Jameson Taumbe urged the community to take a leading role in caring and reporting any suspicious activity they encounter along railway lines.

“It is important for us to join hands and protect railway lines,” he said. “This is the only cheapest and easiest means of transportation.”

CEAR, in partnership with the government, are on a serious drive to rehabilitate the rail system that became compromised due to lack of traffic and thus led to vandalism of its equipment.

The rail line from Limbe to Marka in Nsanje connects Malawi to the port of Beira in Mozambique and when in use in the past, reduced cost of importing strategic commodities into the country.

Another rail line is from Limbe-Salima-Lilongwe-Mchinji — connecting Zambia’s Chipata Border of and Mozambique’s port of Nacala. The connection to the border with Mozambique is at Nkaya in Balaka, which is it perfect condition as it is also the link of the recently constructed from Moatize In Mozambique to the Nacala port that transports coal.

Both Nkaya-Nacala and Limbe-Marka are crucial for smooth transportation of fuel — the commodity that is currently being ferried through road tankers — but there is a growing resentment by road transporters who fear that the rail system might jeopardize their industry since trains are able to transport more goods on their wagons.

In January last year, when Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara visited Liwonde Dry Port in Machinga — which is the first port of call for goods that is transported from Nacala in Mozambique through the rail system — he had said well promoted, rail transport system is set to translate into bringing more growth to road transportation as more goods will be brought in the country that will require more trucks to ferry goods to designated areas across the country.

Minister Hara emphasized that the rail system is also going to benefit the road transport as it is cheaper since it is set to reduce exportation costs making the country’s products cheap and competitive at international market.

He assured road transporters that they shall not be challenged, saying “this is an opportunity for the road transport providers since more goods will be transported into the country which will translate into more trucks getting businesses”.

“Therefore, rail transport will create more opportunities to road transport providers,” Hara said, adding that now is the right time to fully utilize rail transport as the country is shifting paradigm to becoming a predominant producing state so as to achieve the MW2063 development blueprint.”—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express