TANZANIA Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has suspended both freight and passenger train operations between Dar es Salaam and Tunduma.
This is in the wake of unionised workers at the company withdrawing their labour, and demanding three months unpaid salaries.
TAZARA head of public relations Conrad Simuchile, who announced the development in a statement in Lusaka, said some workers in the neighbouring Tanzania and Zambia had not gotten their salaries for February, March and April 2014.
Mr Simuchile said all stations between Dar es Salaam and Tunduma in the Tanzanian region were affected while the Kasama TAZARA station was affected on the Zambian side.
Mr Simuchile said as a consequence of the strike, which started on Monday, the suspension of freight and passenger operations was enforced.
“As a consequence of the on-going illegal strike, which started on 12 May 2014, TAZARA regrets to announce the suspension of both freight and passenger operations between Dar es Salaam and Tunduma until further notice,” he said.
He however, said normal operations will continue between Nakonde and New Kapiri-Mposhi on the Zambian side.
Mr Simuchile assured the public that management was making frantic efforts to resolve the situation and ensure that normal operations resume as quickly as possible.-ZANIS
