With improved efficiency, TAZARA has seen an increase in haulage of over 70,000 tonnes in the first half of the 2016/17 financial year compared to 56, 500 tonnes in the previous quarter due to enhanced traffic.
However, the performance was only 35.5 percent of the targeted 208,602 tonnes in the period under review.
This is according to a statement availed to the media by TAZARA head of public relations Conrad Simuchile recently.
“During the first half of the financial year 2016/17 (July to December 2016), TAZARA transported 74,122 tonnes of freight, being 31 percent better compared to the immediate past half year of 2015/16 (January to June 2016), when 56,589 tonnes was transported.
“However, the board also noted with concern that the improvements in the performance was not only slow but that at 35.5 percent achievement of the planned haulage of freight traffic for the half year period, it was low for comfort and that revenue generated was insufficient to sustain operations,” Mr Simuchile said.
On the inter-state passenger trains, he said the authority exceeded its target by 1.1 percent to over 278,000 passengers against 275,004 passengers.
Mr Simuchile attributed the increase to the rising demand from the travelling public due to improvements and consistency in the manner TAZARA is providing services.
“[A total of] 278,019 passengers were transported during the first half of 2016/17 compared to 207,090 passengers in the corresponding first half of 2015/16, representing 34.3 percent increase, surpassing the planned ridership of 275,004 passengers for the period by 1.1 percent,” he said.
Meanwhile, the TAZARA board has resolved to seek short-term capital injection from the Tanzanian and Zambian governments to keep the company active while looking for a long-term financing solution
