Chakwera scores distinction on revamping railway: After 21 years, block train carrying petroleum resumes
After a 21-year break, President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration has scored a distinction in the railway sector by resuming ferrying of fuel from Mozambique to Malawi, marking the restoration of the service.
The first train carrying fuel docked at the Lilongwe depot of the National Oil Company of Malawi in Lilongwe on Tuesday afternoon to the delight of a nation that has, for years, suffered huge fuel prices due to high transportation costs.
Jovial and over the moon, Minister of Trade Sosten Gwengwe was all smiles as he led a group of officials from the public and private sectors to welcome the train carrying about 640,000 litres.
“Today I want to celebrate a silent hero who is President Chakwera. He promised to revamp the railway sector and now its here,” he said.
NOCMA Chief Executive Clement Kanyama says the restoration of the service will bring efficiency in the transportation of fuel into the country.
The train, operated by Central East Africa Railways/Nacala Logistics, has travelled from Nacala in Mozambique to Lilongwe, 988 kilometres.
The service was discontinued due to damaged infrastructure and lack of political will during the reign of Bakili Muluzi and his United Democratic Front (UDF) administration.
All the other governments in between failed to revive the service up until now when Chakwera committed to restore the country’s railway system.
Speaking while Welcoming the train carrying the fuel Secretary to the office of President and Cabinet (SPC) Mrs Colleen Zamba, who is also Board chair described the development as historic after 21 years of the similar event.
Zamba said “What it means to this country. Malawi, you know, 21 years is no small time. Somebody was born and started the school even finished university but has never seen fuel coming by train. So, this is a historic I think to me,” he said.
Zamba said this signifies the real transformation agenda, which the President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has been speaking a vision which put forward to create jobs, to have food and to be able to transform Malawi.
She said Malawi is a landlocked country so, one of the main things in a landlocked country is that it should have transportation which will make its products to be competitive with other countries.
Speaking during the function , Minister of Energy , Ibrahim Matola commended President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for his political will which has translated into reality.
Matola said these are fruits of Mozambique trips which he undertook soon after taking over Government.
The Minister said the development will help to reduce the fuel landing costs.
Experts have lauded the move saying recent investments, in Malawi, in the rail sector have created a buzz of excitement from many and sundry.
They have argued that using rail for transportation of bulk weight and dry cargo is a very positive initiative as it has proven, globally, to be the most cost effective and efficient way of doing so. The following are the potential economic impacts fuel haulage by rail:
1. Overall reduction by an estimated 40% on the cost of transportation of fuel. This may lead to reduction of fuel prices at the pumps.
2. Lessened pressure on our road infrastructure. As a result there will be increased savings on road repairs and maintenance since there will be less damage through the reduction of road haulage by trucks.
3. Increased security and stability of fuel supply into the country since trains are less prone to breakdowns.
4. Increased job creation in the rail sector since rail is a labour intensive system.
5. Increased economic activity along the rail networks through revival of train stations.
6. Increase job creation in allied industries such as product distributors including small scale transporters, processors, storage, wholesalers and retailers, brokers, insurance, security.
7. In short, rail systems are massively suited for job creation, industrialisation and economic growth. Most developed countries catapulted their economic growth by investing in rail networks first.
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