By CHUSA SICHONE –
ZAMBIA Railways Limited (ZRL) has yet again utilised part of the US$120 million it received from Government to engage a consortium of three companies for the installation of signalling and telecommunication equipment.
The deal worth $51 million will make Zambia become the first country in Africa to benefit from the state-of-the art signalling equipment.
Yesterday’s contract signing between ZRL and the consortium comprising Huawei Technologies Limited, Bombardier and GMC Technologies Zambia Limited followed another contract involving ZRL and 32 local companies signed in Lusaka on Wednesday, which will create 3,200 jobs.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Lusaka yesterday, ZRL chief executive officer Muyenga Atanga said the agreement was among several others expected to be rolled out this year.
Professor Atanga said these were steps towards realising the railway company’s 2018 Strategic Business Plan of making it a leading transporter and respected firm in the Southern African region.
He said owing to the expertise of his senior management, whom he described as “think tanks”, and their management system, the company, which was almost going into oblivion, was on the path to recovery.
Prof Atanga said the engagement of a local company, GMC Technologies Zambia Limited, besides the two international firms, was testimony that ZRL did not marginalise local institutions.
Bombardier global head of industrial and mining, Valentine Paramasivam said apart from Europe, Zambia was the first African country where the company’s latest signalling equipment was being installed.
“This is the first application in Africa. The technology is so advanced that the train actually brakes (stops) if the driver doesn’t,” he said.
Huwawei Technologies managing director for Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe Spawn Fan Wen pledged the commitment of his staff and that of the consortium to delivering the project timely and profitably.
GMC managing director Rocky Chiyungi said his company would create 100 jobs during the implementation process.
