Source: $6bn needed for railway line modernisation: Mnangagwa – NewsDay Zimbabwe June 4, 2016
The country is still using railway lines constructed during the colonial era and $6 billion is needed to modernise the infrastructure, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
By Stephen Chadenga
The figure is well above the country’s national budget, which is just below $4 billion.
Mnangagwa said the railway network was outdated and required to be modernised, if the transport system was to be economically competitive.
“We have a system of railway lines that is colonial and $6 billion is needed to modernise the network,” he said at the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries Midlands chapter meeting in Gweru this week.
Mnangagwa said the railway system needed to be re-integrated with others in the region for it to be effective.
He said, if the country was to industrialise there was need to focus on modern technology.
“Our companies must be persuaded to modernise, have state-of-art machinery and information and communication technology,” he said.
In 2014, the National Railways of Zimbabwe tabled proposals to construct the Harare-Chitungwiza urban railway system estimated at a cost of more than $400 million, although the project is yet to start.
The parastatal also has plans for new domestic railway lines and others linking the country with other countries in the Sadc region, but financial constraints have stalled these projects.
Critics, however, said the government is broke and incapacitated to implement developmental projects, as it is failing to attract direct foreign lines of credit.
NRZ owes its more than 4 000 employees over 15 months’ salaries, amounting to $87 million and the workers have been on strike since March, demanding their dues.
They recently rejected $330 each offered to them to abandon the strike.
COMMENTS
Cause be told by the different heads what happened to the monies generated, provided by government and budgeted annually, received through grants and any other revenue. Instead Zim is always going in circles instead of correcting human errors and thefts.pp
Mnangagwa said the railway network was outdated and required to be modernized, if the transport system was to be economically competitive.
Dreaming Big are we now???? after drinking the Singaporian wine with Bob and Graceless Matibile (AKA Mugabe).
And ZIMBOS we were told by Induna Bob that “the only white man you can trust is a dead one” EXECPT THE WHITE MAN’S MERCEDES.
The white man’s equipment is creating havoc looking at all the carnage on the roads caused by the white man’s automobiles why not prohibit the the use of cars go back to the sleigh and donkey cart Much safer. After all the economy may only just coup with this mode of transportation given the rate of decline. i.e. 2016 to 1700 in 60 days. Remember I.E. KUMBULA Bondernization in Zimbabwe Ruins is coming soon to a beer garden near you. Now closing all WESTERN UNIONS DUE TO LOOTING, GO ON KILL THE GOLDEN GOOSE SEE WHAT HAPPENS?????