I would like to express my views over the problems facing TAZARA at the present moment.

Firstly, I would like to point out that even if billion of dollars are pumped in this Organization with the same Management and Manpower levels the exercise will be futile.

The first critical problem facing TAZARA today is lack of Professional Railway Experts to run the system, this follows the retirement of Tanzanian and Zambian Chinese trained personnel. The most affected Departments are Mechanical and Operations thou there are more Departments which make the Railway tick, the above two are the most important in Railway operations because they play a leading role in punctual movement of trains.

According to the Chinese Railway Experts, to run the two Departments efficiently the Structure was as below;

1.HEAD OFFICE – MECHANICAL.

> Chief Mechanical Engineer.

> Senior Engineer Locomotive Maintenance.

> Senior Engineer Rolling Stock

> Senior Technician Locomotive and Rolling Stock.

2.REGIONAL OFFICES.

> Regional Mechanical Engineer.

> Senior Mechanical Engineer Operations

> District Mechanical Engineer.

> Locomotive Depot Masters.

3.HEAD OFFICE – OPERATIONS.

> Traffic Manager.

> Senior Traffic Officer.

> Chief Planning Controller

4.REGIONAL OFFICES.

> Regional Traffic Officer.

> Senior Traffic Officer

>Traffic Officer.

> Senior Traffic Controller.

By then, all the above posts were filled by qualified railway oriented professionals. Today, most of these positions are held by people acting on Administrative Convenience only with no proper qualifications. In short there are no Railway Engineers to confirm in these positions. At Head Office only two positions remain, Chief Mechanical Engineer and Senior Mechanical Engineer.

In all Railway Systems engineers recruited strait from Universities undergo orientation at respective Railway Training Schools before taking up their substantive posts, it is not so in TAZARA. The few engineers who have been employed are not aware of the “Green Book” this contains Rules and Regulations of the Railway Authority.

In Mechanical Department the effects of missing qualified engineers have been;

1.Improper follow up on equipment maintenance and operations ie Locomotives.
2.Lack of proper supervision on maintenance and operating personnel ie Locomotive Drivers.
3.Ineffective utilization of locomotives
4.Improper Accident Analysis.

Similarly in Operation Department the effects have been;

1.Chaotic planning and crossing of trains.
2.Unnecessary train delays.
3.Stealing of goods in transit.
4.Unnecessary railway accidents.
5.Improper Accident Analysis.

If there are no qualified people to tackle the above bottle necks then the railway line can not operate effectively and profitably.

Acting on Administrative Convenience is not limited to the two Departments, it is in all TAZARA Departments. Technicians are Engineers, Crecks are Human Resource Officers, Train Guards and Locomotive Drivers are Operation Officers.

The second critical problem is the procurement of fuel; this commodity is supposed to be bought at the cheapest source in Dar es laam then transported in railway tankers to all locomotive depots.

Instead private companies have tendered to supply fuel from Dar es salaam using road tankers this makes the fuel to be on high side in terms of price. As a bulk user of fuel this is major lapse which should be corrected.

The third critical problem is over pricing by the Supplies Department, prices of lubricants for locomotives and materials used in production are always on the high side due to kick backs. Management has failed to control this.