Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) staff reported back to work on Monday and passenger train services will resume today between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi following clearance of their four-month salary arrears.
Tazara Public Relations Officer, Ms Regina Tarimo, said in Dar es Salaam that the passenger train, popularly known as Kilimanjaro One, would depart from Dar es Salaam station at 3:50 for Zambia.
“We are glad to inform the general public that operations have officially resumed on Monday,” she said, adding, “The Dar es Salaam commuter train would resume service on Monday evening.”
The ‘Daily News’ witnessed people turning out for ticket booking as workers reported to their respective departments. Several police officers were seen in the morning near the gate adjacent to Mandela Road, but were no longer there in the afternoon.
Tazara workers went on strike from 23 August demanding payment of their salary arrears between May and August, this year. The Minister for Transport, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, on Sunday urged workers to report to work from yesterday after the governments of Zambia and Tanzania had cleared payment of their salary arrears.
“All I want is for you to report back to work tomorrow (Monday) as your salaries have been cleared,” said the minister while addressing staff at the Dar es Salaam Station on Sunday evening.
He said TAZARA was undergoing a difficult period because of the ramshackle infrastructure, but plans were underway to improve it, saying the two governments were determined to revive the institution.
“The team of Chinese experts who were conducting investigation to establish problems that are afflicting Tazara have completed the study and they have already submitted a report to both the governments,” said the minister.
Dr Mwakyembe noted that the jointly-owned railway company incurred losses amounting to 2.4 bn/- during the strike.
By LUDOVICK KAZOKA, Tanzania Daily News
