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The official launch of the TAZARA railway rehabilitation in Lusaka has marked the beginning of a major modernization effort aimed at improving trade flows, transport efficiency, and economic connectivity among Tanzania, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the wider Southern African region.
Tanzania and Zambia jointly inaugurated the large-scale overhaul of the Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), a project designed to strengthen regional trade and upgrade vital transport infrastructure across both the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East Africa. The rehabilitation, valued at USD 1.4 billion, is being financed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). A foundation-laying ceremony was held on 20 November 2025 in Lusaka, attended by senior leaders from Tanzania, Zambia, and China.
The project will deliver extensive improvements along the 1,860km railway—comprising 975km in Tanzania and 885km in Zambia—including track upgrades, modernized stations, and enhanced communication systems. It also includes the acquisition of 34 locomotives, 760 wagons, 18 coaches, and 2 passenger trains. Once completed, the upgraded line is expected to boost freight capacity to 2.4 million tonnes by its third year of operation. The initiative is projected to stimulate economic activity across agriculture, mining, industry, and tourism while creating jobs throughout the region.
The event was attended by Tanzania’s Vice President, Ambassador Dr. Emmanuel Nchimbi; Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema; China’s Premier, Li Qiang; Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary for Transport, Prof. Godius Kahyarara; and Tanzania Railways Corporation Director General, Engineer Machibya Masanja, among other officials. Representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Vice President Nchimbi highlighted the long-standing partnership between the three nations, stating: “History teaches us that when Tanzania, Zambia, and China stand together, no challenge is too great. If the founders of these countries could build the Freedom Railway, the current generation can rehabilitate TAZARA and make it a model of 21st-century cooperation.”
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Constructed in the 1970s with support from China, TAZARA—often called the Freedom Railway—provided Zambia with a strategic export route to the Port of Dar es Salaam, avoiding dependence on routes through then-Southern Rhodesia and South Africa. Spanning 1,860km on Cape Gauge (1,067mm), the railway has long served as an essential transport corridor for agricultural goods, minerals, industrial products, and passengers across Tanzania and Zambia, contributing significantly to regional integration within SADC and the East African Community (EAC).
However, decades of heavy use, aging infrastructure, and limited maintenance funding have led to performance declines. The fresh rehabilitation programme aims to restore efficiency, increase capacity, reduce travel times, and enhance reliability—ensuring that TAZARA remains a cornerstone of regional trade and development for years to come.
