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In 1970, the leaders of independent Tanzania and Zambia began construction of the TAZARA railway, also known as the Uhuru Railway. It ran a route from the Tanzanian port city of Dar es Salaam to the copper belt in central Zambia. Presidents Julius Nyerere and Kenneth Kaunda hoped to open a free means of transport for people and goods out of the rebel-controlled areas of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa. Therefore, it became known as the Freedom Railway.
Today, this railway line remains a lifeline for hundreds of communities living along its route. Farmers growing corn, rice, and tomatoes transport their produce to markets in towns and cities. Simultaneously, merchants bring consumer goods back to the countryside for consumption. Thanks to this railway, many small villages have developed into large urban centers.
This train is a veritable marketplace. It has 100 stops, and at each stop, passengers lean out to buy large bunches of bananas and try to drag them through the narrow windows. Vendors selling items like plastic sandals and soft drinks try their luck in the corridors.
TAZARA station stands amidst a patchwork of tin domes on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam. Although cracks have begun to appear on the facade, the building seems little changed since its construction. In front of the swinging wooden doors, the ticket inspector presses the ticket stubs. Large packages are weighed in the parcel warehouse. At 1 p.m., the platform doors suddenly open and a crowd rushes forward hoping to secure a window seat.
Starting its journey, the train accelerated out of Dar es Salaam and through the tropical countryside, entering the Selous Game Reserve just as the sun was setting. In the distance, antelopes, baboons, and giraffes could be seen.
The scene upon waking was truly astonishing. Mist enveloped the temperate forest as the train wound its way around steep hills and through deep valleys. During the night, the train had ascended to 600 meters as it pushed toward the Great Rift Valley. During construction, this was taken into account by the TAZARA engineers, whose workers had to blast through the largest mountain with explosives.
In 1964, mainland Zambia (later known as Northern Rhodesia) gained independence from Britain and regained control of its mineral resources. However, neighboring Southern Rhodesia harbored hostile intentions and imposed heavy taxes on copper minerals transported to southern African ports. Therefore, Presidents Kaunda and Nyerere agreed to build the Uhuru Railway and open up the economy to free trade in northern Zambia.
Former Chairman Mao Zedong offered a $400 million loan to build the railway. Soon after, tens of thousands of Chinese railway workers were transferred to East Africa. This was China's first major engineering project in Africa.
The train travels at a constant speed, reaching 1,800 meters above sea level, passing through the hills surrounding the Tanzanian city of Mbeya, before descending into the sloping track across the Zambian border. The communities living along the railway have depended on it for over 40 years. They use it for everything from taking their children to school to funerals.
Sadly, the train is getting old and becoming dangerous. “You need to stay alert and think carefully,” said Charles Siame as he pushed the diesel locomotive off the platform. He has been driving trains since 1983, but since then the railway line has begun to deteriorate. “We’ve limited the speed to 40 km/h due to some problems with the carriages.”
With a steady increase in passenger numbers and rail freight companies, coupled with increased activity at the Dar es Salaam port and its affordability and reliability, the TAZARA railway line has promising prospects for growth. The Chinese government is expected to support the modernization of the railway line with loans and new equipment.
Ngoc Anh (According to BBCTravel)
