SIMBAO

By JULIUS PHIRI-
THE Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Communication has expressed satisfaction at the works on the Chipata -Mchinji railway line project.
Committee Chairperson Kapembwa Simbao who is Senga Hill Member of Parliament (MP) said when he toured the railway project in Chipata yesterday said that he was happy that the railway line had been operationalised after three decades.
Mr Simbao said the parliamentary committee was happy that the railway line project had been completed.
He said the Chipata-Mchinji railway line would reap a lot of benefits to the country through the transportation of goods from Zambia via Malawi to Nacala Port in Mozambique.
“It is very pleasing to see that the Chipata-Mchinji railway line project is now operational after a long time. You can remember that this railway project stalled for sometime before it came into being right up now,” he said.
Mr Simbao who was accompanied by Kamfinsa MP, Moses Chishimba, Magoye MP, Oliver Mulomba, Kankoyo MP, Levy Chabala, Lufwanyama MP, Anne Chungu, Milanzi MP Whiteson Banda, Chavuma MP, Kenneth Konga and Moomba MP, Vitalis Mooya  said that the railway infrastructure was paramount to supporting the economy of the country.
He said Zambia Railways Limited management had made a fully fledged commitment towards improving the railway infrastructure in the country.
“I am sure that the management of the railways is working towards improving their worthiness in the sector,” Mr Simbao said.
And ZRL Nacala Director, Vyonsi Manda complained over the encroachment by people on land belonging to Zambia Railways Limited.
Mr Manda, however, assured the committee that everything was in place adding that soon the train would be shuttling from Chipata to Nacala Port without problems.
Mr Manda was accompanied by Zambia Railways Limited, general manager Moses Sipumo, Zambia Railways Limited manager infrastructure Ernest Silwamba.
The parliamentary committee even took a ride on the train.