DAR ES SALAAM, 17 July 2026 – The revitalisation of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority has entered a new and visible phase following the official launch of construction works for the new TAZARA Training Centre and a modern Operations Control Centre in Dar es Salaam.
The groundbreaking ceremony marks one of the first major physical developments under the TAZARA Railway Revitalisation Project and provides tangible evidence that the programme is moving beyond consultations, negotiations and technical planning into practical implementation.
For TAZARA employees, customers, stakeholders and members of the public who have long awaited visible progress, the message from the site was clear: work has begun, project teams are on the ground and the revitalisation of TAZARA is taking physical shape.
The ceremony was officiated by Prof. Godius Kahyarara, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, and attended by Mr. Li Chongyang, Chairman of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation; H.E. Amb. Chen Mingjian, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Tanzania; Eng. Bruno Ching’andu, TAZARA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer; Dr. Adolf B. Rutayuga, Director General of the Vocational Education and Training Authority; senior government officials, project representatives and invited guests.
From commitment to construction
The groundbreaking took place only days after TAZARA commemorated 50 years of operations under the theme, “TAZARA@50: From Liberation to Transformation.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Kahyarara said the commencement of construction demonstrated that the revitalisation programme was moving from commitments and planning into practical implementation.
He said the success of the project would ultimately be measured through visible improvements in railway performance, including safer operations, reliable passenger services, increased freight capacity, shorter transit times, better utilisation of railway assets, improved customer service and stronger financial sustainability.
The Permanent Secretary called for the works to be completed to the highest standards of quality and safety, within the agreed timeframe and with meaningful opportunities for skills and technology transfer to TAZARA employees.
“The facilities are not merely buildings. They represent an investment in the people, systems and operational discipline required to build a modern railway,” Prof. Kahyarara said.
Building skills for a modern railway
The new TAZARA Training Centre will be constructed on a total land area of 21,800 square metres, with a total construction floor area of 9,641 square metres.
The facility will include training laboratories, theoretical classrooms, office workstations and conference rooms of different capacities. It will provide structured technical, operational and managerial training for engineers, technicians, locomotive drivers, train controllers, station personnel, safety officers, managers and other railway professionals.
The Centre will also support continuous professional development, knowledge and technology transfer and the localisation of skills required to operate and maintain the modern infrastructure, locomotives, wagons, communication systems and equipment being introduced under the Revitalisation Project.
The Government of the People’s Republic of China is supporting the construction of the Training Centre as part of its commitment to developing the local technical workforce required for the sustainable operation of the revitalised railway.
H.E. Amb. Chen Mingjian said the Centre had been designed around TAZARA’s practical requirements and was expected to become a leading hub for railway vocational education and professional development.
She described the groundbreaking as confirmation that the Revitalisation Project had entered an intensive preparation and construction phase, adding that the renewed railway would strengthen regional trade, economic integration and the development of the proposed TAZARA Prosperity Belt.
Central command for railway operations
The new Operations Control Centre will serve as the central command hub for coordinating, monitoring and controlling train movements and related operational activities across the TAZARA network.
It will be equipped with modern large-screen display systems, train-dispatching communication systems, integrated monitoring systems, information-management platforms and other supporting facilities.
Upon completion, the Centre will provide a centralised operating environment from which train movements, transport-capacity allocation and railway operating plans can be coordinated across the entire 1,860-kilometre TAZARA network.
The facility will improve communication between stations and trains, provide accurate and timely operational information and support faster and better-informed decision-making. It is also expected to improve safety and reliability, strengthen emergency response and enable more efficient utilisation of locomotives and wagons.
Building blocks of transformation
TAZARA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Bruno Ching’andu, said the two facilities addressed critical requirements for operating a modern railway: skilled people and effective operational control.
He said the Training Centre would prepare the next generation of railway professionals, while the Operations Control Centre would strengthen the coordination and monitoring of train movements throughout the railway network.
“These are not merely construction projects. They are important building blocks in the transformation of TAZARA,” Eng. Ching’andu said.
He thanked the Governments of Tanzania, Zambia and China, together with CCECC and TAZARA Revitalisation Tanzania Limited, for advancing the development.
Mr. Li Chongyang, Chairman of CCECC, said the revitalisation of TAZARA represented both a great honour and a solemn responsibility for the company.
He noted that TAZARA marked CCECC’s first major step beyond China and into Africa, creating a profound historical connection with the railway that has continued for nearly six decades.
Mr. Li said CCECC had mobilised its best professional teams and resources to advance engineering design, technical optimisation, project financing, government approvals and construction planning.
“Today’s groundbreaking ceremony marks a new starting point. CCECC will work closely with all partners and stakeholders to deliver the TAZARA Revitalisation Project to the highest standards of quality,” he said.
He added that CCECC was committed to developing the programme into a landmark infrastructure project, a flagship for regional connectivity and a model of mutually beneficial China-Africa cooperation.
Renewed hope and responsibility
The commencement of construction provides renewed hope to TAZARA employees and the wider public following years of operational and financial challenges.
It also places a responsibility on employees and project partners to uphold professionalism, discipline, accountability, integrity, safety and commitment to customer service.
The Training Centre and Operations Control Centre form part of the systems and institutional capacity required to transform TAZARA into a safer, more reliable, efficient and competitive railway capable of supporting trade and economic development across Tanzania, Zambia and the wider region.
About TAZARA and CCECC
TAZARA is a bi-national railway jointly and equally owned by the Governments of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Zambia. Constructed between 1970 and 1975 with the support of the People’s Republic of China, it links the Port of Dar es Salaam with New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia and provides onward connections to the wider COMESA and SADC markets.
On 29 September 2025, TAZARA signed a Public-Private Partnership concession agreement with CCECC to rehabilitate, modernise and operate the freight component of the railway. The concession provides for an investment exceeding US$1.4 billion, including the rehabilitation of railway infrastructure and the acquisition of new locomotives and wagons.
CCECC is a globally established engineering and construction company within the China Railway Construction Corporation Group, one of the world’s largest infrastructure and engineering conglomerates. CRCC was ranked 51st in the 2025 Fortune Global 500, with annual revenues of approximately US$148.5 billion and total assets of about US$260.7 billion. ENDS
For clarifications:
Conrad K. Simuchile
Head Public Relations
WhatsApp: +255 767 803 074
Email: hpr@tazarasite.com
TAZARA@50 (July 1976 – 2026) From Liberation to Transformation
