By REBECCA MUSHOTA –

. CHING’ANDU

TANZANIA Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) new managing director Bruno Ching’andu has warned of stern action against managers who fail to perform.
He said managers who will fail to perform under his reign would be dismissed.
Mr Ching’andu said this after he was introduced to the executive management committee in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Friday last week.
This was according to a statement issued by TAZARA public relations manager Conrad Simuchile yesterday.
Mr Ching’andu said it was also criminal to keep workers without pay for months.
“I refuse to pay people or keep people on account of attendance. You will not remain at TAZARA by attending TAZARA. You will remain at TAZARA by performing,” he said.
Mr Ching’andu said managers should ensure that enough revenue was generated for both the management and workers because employees were the biggest asset of the company.
Ministry of Transport and Communications director of transport Nicolaus Chikwenya said Mr Ching’andu had been appointed with specific targets to meet.
Mr Chikwenya said TAZARA had huge potential and was significant to the economy.
Mr Ching’andu replaces Ronald Phiri who was appointed in April 2013 to sit-in, as shareholders looked for a suitable candidate after the contract for the then managing director Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika was not renewed.
TAZARA has been facing financial difficulties that have led to inconsistent payment of workers’ salaries who had on numerous occasions withdrawn their labour.
President Edgar Lungu and then Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete instructed that a suitable managing director be appointed.
Mr Ching’andu worked for Zambia Railways and General Electric Company of the United States of America, a firm that manufactured TAZARA’s mainline locomotives.