Reviving Rail Transport Decades After It Was Abandoned
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Malawi Congress Party has for decades been renowned for being a party that envisioned railways as cost-effective and sustainable freight and passenger systems. Since the departure of Ngwazi Hastings Kamuzu Banda in 1994 the railway system was deliberately destroyed by subsequent regimes so as to promote others forms of haulage systems in which the leaders owned personal stakes.
The Chakwera-led administration has a clear agenda to bring back the railway system and make it the hub of regional trade.
Problems to be solved
Dilapidated infrastructure and underutilization of railways
Opportunities to unlock
Introduce modern rail vehicles and integrate with road and port transport systems
Construction of new railway lines starting with the ongoing 72-kilometre Marka to Bangula railway project.
Rehabilitation of the dilapidated system. Currently, cargo trains are now operating all the way from Nacala via Lilongwe to Mchinji. Bangula to Blantyre to be operational soon.