TAZARA suspends train services over striking Zambian employees

DAR ES SALAAM, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) on Wednesday announced an indefinite suspension of all train services between Dar es Salaam, New Kapiri Mposhi and Nakonde stations following a strike by the railway's employees in Zambia.

Conrad Simuchile, Head of TAZARA Public Relations, said in a statement that the decision to suspend the services followed a strike by employees in Zambia who were demanding payment of their unpaid salaries for October and November 2017.

Following the suspension of the train services, said the statement, the Mukuba express train that was due to run from New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania on December 5 did not perform its services as earlier planned.

"We have suspended our services as we cannot work until the situation is resolved," said Simuchile in the statement.

"Due to the situation, there is no other way other than the suspension of services in Zambia which will remain in place until further notice," said the statement.

TAZARA is bi-national railway jointly owned by the governments of Tanzania and Zambia on a 50-50 shareholding basis. Enditem