* We have finally harnessed newly-found opportunities meant to facilitate seamless trade routes to the coastline and ease the cost of imports
* Fellow Malawians, when I promised to rehabilitate the country’s railway system, this is it!
Maravi Express
President Lazarus Chakwera emphasises that commissioning of the first cargo train into Malawi from the Port of Beira in Mozambique through Marka in Nsanje — after 41 years of the rail’s destruction due to lack of usage — “marks a significant milestone in Malawi’s transport system”.
Advertisement
Writing on his Facebook page, Chakwera says his administration has “finally harnessed newly-found opportunities meant to facilitate seamless trade routes to the coastline and ease the cost of imports”.
“On our end, haulage of the 1.2 million-litre fuel cargo has been made possible by the ongoing 72km railway line being constructed by my administration from Marka to Bangula.
“This landmark project plus other ongoing rail rehabilitation initiatives are part of a portfolio of strategic infrastructure positioned to awaken the transport sector as a driver of economic growth.
“This uninterrupted access to both Nacala and Beira trade routes through rail are testimony of how my administration is capitalising on opportunities that exist within the Malawi/Mozambique interdependence.
“Fellow Malawians, when I promised to rehabilitate the country’s railway system, this is it!” he wrote after he presided over receiving the fuel train at Marka Border railway station which arrived in the country from Beira.
The rail transportation networks were neglected by the previous administrations but Chakwera’s administration is working towards revamping it as last month a train carrying fuel arrived in Lilongwe from Nacala Port after suspension of such services for 21 years.
Minister of Transport, Jacob Hara said the arrival of the train is a milestone in transport infrastructure development as the railway line will help to reduce the cost of transport for goods and services in the country:
“About 50% of the cost of products is transportation,” he said, adding that the railway line project will have a positive impact to rural masses as the price of goods will go down.
National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) Board chairperson, Colleen Zamba said the revival of the railway line makes a transformation milestone for the economic development of the country.
Zamba, who is also Secretary to President and Cabinet, said the arrival of the train will help to improve fuel delivery in the country: “The cost of importing fuel and other petroleum products will be reduced as railway transport is cheaper compared with road transport.”
Advertisement
On his part, Traditional Authority Ndamera said the arrival of the train is historic as people in the district thought the railway line will never resurface while Member of Parliament for Nsanje South, Ramzan Juma said the rail will accelerate economic opportunities in the district as would open up both large and small-scale businesses in the district.
According to NOCMA, Beira-Marka covers a distance of 360km, making it the shortest route compared to 821km of Nacala and 1,546km from Dar es Salaam through road haulage.
When receiving the inaugural block train last month carrying 580,660 litres of fuel from Nacala Port in Mozambique to NOCMA Lilongwe Depot in Kanengo, Minister of Trade & Industry, Sosten Gwengwe said: “21 years is a huge loss to the country’s development in terms of rail transport which is low cost, reliable and affordable especially for private sector as we are talking industrialisation under MW2063 agenda.
He emphasised that no country developed without investing in rail transport and being aggressive on industrialisation: “This inaugural train is beyond fuel — it goes further into the cement manufacturing, the agriculture, tourism & mining (ATM) strategy which the President himself champions and the Ministry’s drive to shift the economy from a predominantly consuming and importing country to a predominantly producing and exporting one, depend.”
The Minister then made a call to the general public to pride in this development and refrain from and report any form of vandalism to the infrastructure.
Meanwhile, President Chakwera assessed the progress of Shire Valley Transformation Programme (SVTP) project site on Tuesday, which he said will greatly advance food security in the country and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
“We are thankful to the World Bank for their support in this project,” Chakwera said at Pende Primary School in Chikwawa after assessing the project site. “The World Bank’s contribution will enable us to have one of the biggest irrigation projects in Southern Africa.”
In his remarks, SVTP project coordinator, Dr. Stanley Khaila said once completed, the project will cover 10,500 hectares which are the total hectares for 13 mega farms owned by cooperatives.
Advertisement
In April, Khaila said when the STVP mega farm concept is completed, it is expected that the railway shall play a huge role in transportation of the agricultural produce from the Lower Shire for value addition as cost cutting measures.
Khaila reported this to the Parliamentary Committee on Budget & Finance when the Committee — led by its chairperson, MP for Nsanje Lalanje, Gladys Ganda — inspected progress of construction, saying SVTP was engaging management of rail transport to expedite with construction of the rail from Nsanje to Limbe.—Content by Robert Nayeja & Leah Malimbasa, MANA; wrap up edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
Advertisement