Zambia Railways budgets $1.2mn for telecoms

Zambia Railways budgets $1.2mn for telecoms
By Michael Malakata, ITWeb’s Zambian correspondent.
02 Jul 2013

Zambia Railways Limited plans to spend $1.2 million towards the purchasing of new telecommunications equipment to improve communication and safety on its main line.

The company has said the money will come from a budgeted $120 million that the Zambian government has provided to the company to improve its operations.

Zambia Railways Limited director of marketing Sydney Tembo has said the remaining part of the money is further planned to be used for the rehabilitation of some railway infrastructure, rolling stock and the purchase of passenger coaches.

The company has recently been embroiled in a financial scandal that saw the dissolution of the board and the suspension of the managing director, who has since retired.

“One percent of the $120 million will go towards the purchasing of new telecommunications equipment to improve communication and safety on the main line,” Tembo has told the local Post newspaper.

Tembo said there is a scramble to get on the Zambia Railways trains because they are 20% cheaper than road fares.

He added that by September this year, the company is also set to receive equipment to start rehabilitating infrastructure.

With the equipment in place, Tembo said the company would be in a position to compete favourably and network with other countries in the region.

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