NRZ in Mozambique rail deal

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) is working on the establishment of a working agreement with Mozambique Ports and Railways (CFM) which will see their trains carry cargo across borders.

Currently, NRZ trains move as far as Machipanda station, in Mozambique, while CFM trains go as far as Mutare, meaning that CFM takes over cargo destined to the Port of Beira, and NRZ takes over CFM cargo in transit to other countries.

Mozambique and Zimbabwe are currently busy rehabilitating the Mutare-Machipanda line as part of the broader new agreement reached during bilateral meetings between Transport minister Felix Mhona and his Mozambican counterpart in January this year.

The idea is to extend the rehabilitation of the line all the way to Harare.

"The ongoing rehabilitation of that line is the initial phase of the broader plan which will ultimately lead to the establishment of a working agreement,” NRZ spokesperson Andrew Kunambura said in a statement.

“This agreement works to improve turnover time and smooth transportation of vital products. This is a critical route for the country in that we use it to transport a lot of goods for export as well as vital imports like fuel, gas and grain.”

Zimbabwe and Mozambique have jointly started to refurbish and extend the 10-kilometre railway line that stretches from Machipanda to Mutare following bilateral meetings between the two countries.

Mozambique’s Transport and Communications minister Mateus Magala visited the country in January for bilateral meetings with his Zimbabwean counterpart on cooperation in infrastructure development.

His visit came after President Emmerson Mnangagwa also joined his Mozambican counterpart, Filipe Nyusi, in witnessing the commissioning of the rehabilitated US$200 million Beira-Machipanda railway line last November.