A Situational Study of Rail Transport Usage in Zambia

Full Length Research

A situational study of rail transport usage in Zambia

Fred Mwila1* and Erastus M. Mwanaumo2

1 Post Graduate Student, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia. 2Lecturer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Zambia; P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.

Accepted 19 September, 2016; Published 5 December, 2016

Rail transport is critical for the development of any country. This is especially so for Zambia which is land locked. With its inherent advantage of being bulk carrier, safer and cheaper, rail transport is an important cog in intermodal transportation of goods and services. It is also more environmentally friendly, has less congestion and is more fuel efficient than other transport modes. A poorly utilised railway adversely affects overall national transport system and leads to low output which results in decreased contribution to the country’s economy. In some countries, especially the developed ones, freight and passenger rail traffic has been on the increase. However the opposite is the case in Zambia where railway traffic has continued to deteriorate. This paper seeks is to establish the position of railways in the Zambian transport system and propose ways of addressing causal factors and it is based on findings from research on ‘a comparative study of access to railways in Zambia relative to road transport’. Results indicate that railways carried a partly eight percent (8.0%) of the cargo transported by the road and rail in 2015. Categorizing this traffic into exports, imports, transit and local traffic, the road moved at least 83.0% of the cargo moved by rail and road. The same was the case when cargo was classified by type of traffic with the road moving at least 78.0% of the available traffic. This is despite more than 50.0% of the traffic being heavy and bulk which should traditionally be moved by the rail. Poor accessibility to the railways caused by inter alia, bad rail infrastructure and equipment, unfavourable government policies, poor management of the railways, very low speeds and limited routes were some of the major reasons for the under performance of the railways in Zambia. Mitigating these causal factors could lead to improving access to the rail.

Key words: Poor, Rail transport, Usage, Zambia

INTRODUCTION

Zambia with an estimated population of over 15 million, Transport, Storage and communication contributed 3.6% Zambiais one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most highly (CSO, 2013). urbanized countries (The statistician, 2014).Although According to CSO (2013), the growth in GDP was as a gross domestic product (GDP) has doubled since result of increased output in “Construction and Transport” independence, per capita annual incomes are currently at among other sectors. Transport is therefore a about two-thirds of their levels at independence (CIA, prerequisite to economic growth. Rail transport is an 2012). Zambia's economy has experienced strong growth integral part of intermodal transportation of goods and in recent years, with real GDP growth in the period 2005- passengers for countries engaged in intra and 2013 more than 7.9% in 2013. Zambia's economy is well international trade and movements. Being landlocked, diversified in terms of GDP sectoral contributions. Zambia falls in this category of countries in need of multimodal transportation. According to Mehta (2014), Rail is an important mode of transport because it carries bulk goods over long *Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]; distances; it‟s cheaper; and is very safe. It also has better [email protected] fuel efficiency (Emerald Insight, 2014) and is more 078 J. Bus. Admin. Manage. Sci. Res

environmentally friendly. Given the superior fuel ii. It is a quick and more regular form of transport efficiency of rail transport, emissions of harmful gases because it helps in the transportation of goods with speed from fuel usage will be less per unit of output for rail and certainty; compared to road transport. In 1990, the Swedish iii. It helps in the industrialization process of a country by Commission on Economic Instruments in Environmental easy transportation of raw-materials at a cheaper rate; Policy proposed pollution charges which concluded that iv. It helps in the quick movement of goods from one the emission costs for road are more than 270 times that place to another at the time of emergencies like famines for rail. In terms of safety, rail transport also has and scarcity; advantages over road transport which has more v. It encourages mobility of labour and thereby provides a accidents due to congestion among other causes. great scope for employment; Despite these advantages, rail in Zambia is not only a vi. Railway is the safest form of transport. The chances of minor player in the transport sector but its traffic has been accidents and breakdown of railways are minimal as declining. Freight traffic hauled by Zambia Railways compared to other modes of transport; and Limited (ZRL) fell from 1.7 million tonnes in 2002 to 0.6 vii. The carrying capacity of the railways is extremely million in 2012. The same is true for passenger volumes large. Moreover, its capacity is elastic which can easily which dropped from 223,347 passengers carried in 2009 be increased by adding more wagons. Their charges are to 192,608 passengers in 2012 (ZRL, 2014). For based on charge what the traffic can bear principles Tanzania Zambia Railways (TAZARA), the picture is just which helps the poor. In fact, it is a national necessity.” as gloomy with freight traffic having dropped from 1.2 million tonnes in 1990 to below 400,000 tonnes in 2013. Further rail transport is more advantageous than its major TAZARA passenger levels have also dropped from competitor, the road, in fuel efficiency, environmental 998,000 in 1990 to an average of 197,240 passengers considerations, traffic congestion and safety.A study per year between 2011 and 2014. sponsored by the United States Federal Railroad This paper is aimed at establishing causes of the poor Administration (USFRA) in 1991 showed that on average, usage of rail transport in Zambia and suggests ways of in ton-miles per gallon of fuel, railways were about 4.5 improving the situation. Thestudy used literature review, times as fuel efficient when compared to trucks. Environ- structured interviews, questionnaire survey and case mental considerations also favour rail over road transport. study. Given the superior fuel efficiency of rail transport, emissions of harmful gases from fuel usage would be less per unit of output for rail compared to road transport. LITERATURE REVIEW In 1990, the Swedish Commission on Economic Instruments in Environmental Policy proposed pollution charges which Brief overview of Railway transport translated into the following cost responsibilities for the Swedish transport sector's various subsectors: Whiteing and Menaz (2009) defines Transportation as the movement of passengers and goods from one location to a) Road: US$ 16,300 million another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, b) Marine: US$ 2,600 million cable, pipeline and space. Transport is important c) Aviation: US$ 900 million because it enables trade, which is essential for the d) Rail: US$ 60 million development of civilizations. Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods, by way of Thus the emission costs for road are more than 270 wheeled vehicles running on rails. It is also commonly times that for rail. referred to as train transport. Rail transport consists of all In terms of safety, rail transport also has advantages over land passenger and freight transport which runs on both road transport which has more accidents due to dual and single fixed rails. This principally involves heavy congestions among other causes. For example, the rail, light rail and tram but might also include funicular and State Railway of Thailand (SRT) in 1990 stated that in monorail rail modes (Whiteing and Menaz, 2009). Thailand, road accounts for about 94.5-97.5 percent of all the country's accidents, deaths and injuries, while rail accounts for about 2.5-4.8 percent (Bevis, 1992). Advantages of rail transport These figures give a rough guide to the advantage of rail service in fuel efficiency, containing environmental According to Mehta (2014), Rail is one of the most pollution, traffic congestion and safety. The actual would important modes of transport due to the following of course differ from country to country. advantages: “

Disadvantages of rail transport i. It facilitates long distance travel and transport of bulky goods which are not easily transported by motor vehicles; Rail transport has its own disadvantages. Mehta (2014) Mwila and Mwanaumo 079

mentions the following:” The principal role of transport is to provide access a) The railway requires a large investment of capital. The between spatially separated locations for the business cost of construction, maintenance and overhead and household sectors, for both commodity (freight) and expenses are very high as compared to other modes of person movements. For the business sector, this involves transport. Moreover, the investments are specific and connections between businesses and their input sources, immobile. In case the traffic is not sufficient, the between businesses and other businesses, and between investments may mean wastage of huge resources; businesses and their markets. For the household sector, b) Another disadvantage of railway transport is its it provides people with access to workplaces and inflexibility. It routes and timings cannot be adjusted to education facilities, shops, and social, recreational, individual requirements; community and medical facilities (New Zealand Ministry c) Rail transport cannot provide door to door service as it of Transport, 2014). Economics involves production, is tied to a particular track. Intermediate loading or distribution and consumption of goods and services. unloading involves greater cost, more wear and tear and There is an immense requirement of transport of wastage of time. The time cost of terminal operations are resources from one particular society to other. These a great disadvantage of rail transport; resources can range from material things to knowledge d) As railways require huge capital outlay, they may give and skills like movement of doctors and technicians to the rise to monopolies and work against public interest at places where there is need of them (Mathew and Krishna large. Even if controlled and managed by the Rao, 2007). government, lack of competition may breed in inefficiency Transport may be regarded as an important sector of and high costs; the economy in its own right: transport infrastructure e) Railway transport is unsuitable and uneconomical for provision and transport operations together account for short distances and small traffic of goods; about five percent of New Zealand GDP. Given the f) It involves much time and labour in booking and taking significance of the sector in economic terms, both the delivery of goods through railways as compared to motor level of transport investment together with the amount of transport; and expenditure on transport operations can have wider g) Because of huge capital requirements and traffic, effects on the economy (as is seen when transport fuel railways cannot be operated economically in rural areas. prices increase substantially, resulting in reduced Thus, large rural areas have no railway even today. This household expenditure on other goods and services), causes much inconvenience to the people living in rural (New Zealand Ministry of Transport, 2014). areas.” Transportation cost includes the means of transportation, corridors, containers, pallets, terminals, labour, and time. It occupies an important ratio in logistics cost. The The role of Logistics and transport in the economy improvement of the item of higher operation costs can get better effects. Hence, logistics managers must Logistics can be defined as an extended time and space comprehend transport system operation thoroughly. utility of intermediate and finished goods (Havenga,

2007) and services. The Council of Logistics Management (1991) defined that logistics is „part of the Usage of rail transport supply chain process that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow Due to the benefits arising from its advantages, rail and storage of goods, services, and related information transport is a major form of passenger and freight between the point of origin and the point of consumption transport in many countries. It is ubiquitous in Europe, in order to meet customers‟ requirements‟ What is critical with an integrated network covering virtually the whole in both definitions however is that intermediate and final continent. In India, China, South Korea and Japan, many production of goods and services does not occur at the millions use trains as regular transport. In North America, time and place of consumption, therefore there is need freight rail transport is widespread and heavily used, but for storage and transportation of these goods and intercity passenger rail transport is relatively scarce services to the point of consumption. The cost of storage outside the Northeast Corridor, due to increased and transportation in the value chain is irrespective of preference of other modes, particularly automobiles and who is actually paying for it. Therefore transportation in airplanes (EuDaly et al., 2009). South Africa, Northern general and rail transport in particular is part of logistics Africa and Argentina have extensive rail networks, but management which can reduce the cost of storage and some railways elsewhere in Africa, including Zambia are transportation. isolated lines. Figure 1 shows the railway network in Zambia relative to the size of the country.

Transport and the economy Performance of rail transportin Europe Transport system is the most important economic activity among the components of business logistics systems. Rail freight transport in Europe suffered a major decline 080 J. Bus. Admin. Manage. Sci. Res

Figure 1. Zambian Railway Network. Source: Adapted from ZRL (2014)

in the period from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Since directly taking away market share from the rail freight then there has been a recovery in the European Union industry (Marinov et al., 2013). This trend in freight (EU) 15 countries, with a 15.0% increase in rail freight transport is a source of concern regarding sustainability, tonne-kilometres over the period 1990-2007. In the wider as road freight brings some negative impacts on the EU28, however, decline has continued with a 14.0% planet (environmental sustainability), on people (social decrease between 1990 and 2007 (Menaz and Whiteing, sustainability) and on profit (economic sustainability) 2010).Passenger traffic by rail (passenger-kilometres) compared to rail as discussed. has increased by 28.0% in the EU15 countries over the period 1990-2007, against the backcloth of a 32.0% increase in car travel. Rail passenger growth in the EU15 Performance of rail transport in Sub-Sahara Africa countries has not been matched in the wide EU28, where and SADC a 6.0% fall has been recorded over the same time period (CEC as cited by Menaz and Whiteing, 2010). In Great Olievschi (2013) stated that in most of the Sub-Saharan Britain, the Office of the Rail Regulator (2014) reported African (SSA) countries, railways have played a key part that 1,268,979,546 passengers travelled by train in 2012- in the economic development through transporting freight 2013 as compared to 781,343,720 in 2004-2005, an and passengers. During the last 50 years, the road increase of more than 60.0%. However, Figure 2 transport in the region, as throughout the world, has suggests that the road sector was able to capitalize the expanded rapidly due to the aggressive development of growing need for the movement of goods, rather than the automobile industry. African governments have Mwila and Mwanaumo 081

Growth of traffic by mode 1400

1200 eters 1000 800 600 400 200

0 Billion tonne kilom tonne Billion 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998

Years

ROAD RAIL

Figure 2. Growth of traffic by mode of transport, EU-15: 1970-991Source: Adapted from EC, 2001 Figure 2:Growth of traffic by mode of transport, EU-15: 1970-991Source: Adapted from invested mainly in road infrastructure improvement, of the railway industry by sampling the general history, neglecting railways.EC, 2001 The liberalization in road transport performance in Europe and then the position in SSA and and the slow response of railways to adapt to the new SADC where Zambia is found. This section attempts to market conditions resulted in dramatic traffic decline in take a deeper look at Zambia.Zambia has two major rail rail transport. By 1990 most of the Sub-Saharan African lines, ZRL and TAZARA. See Figure 1.Initially the rail had railways were in virtual bankruptcy, requiring permanent a lion‟s share of traffic in Zambia. Bank of Zambia (1981) cash injection and large investments in infrastructure and reported that 1,070,909 metric tonnes of foreign traffic rolling stock (Olievschi, 2013). Apart from South Africa moved by rail. This represented 76.9% compared to which has shown consistent growth in rail passenger 21.9% by road and 1.2% by air. volumes, most countries in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) and in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) ZRL: Much of Zambia has never had rail service. ZRL have recorded declines. In Kenya for instance, from 4.5 line was built by Rhodesian Railways, crossing the million tonnes in the early 1980s, Kenya Railways Zambezi at Victoria Falls in 1903, reaching Kabwe (then Corporation (KRC) total freight traffic dropped to only 1.7 Broken Hill) in 1906, the Copper belt (then million tonnes in 1997/98. However, during the late littledeveloped) in 1909. Commercial agriculture and 1990s traffic increased to 2.3 million tonnes in 2000/01, trade and industrial activity concentrated along the "line but since then it declined slightly again to less than 2.2 of rail"; the geographical pattern of economic million tonnes in 2002/03.Apart from the Butere-Kisumu development was influenced by the railway perhaps more line (which also has been closed periodically due to than in any other country. The main line extends roughly derailments) most of the branch lines had been closed. 1000 km northerly from the Zambezi river crossing to the Only the Nanyuki line was operated, but only to the Copperbelt, connecting with Tazara at Kapiri Mposhi and fertilizer factory in Thika. The Magadi line has been with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) rail system privatized and the operations taken over by the Magadi at the border. Apart from branches in the Copper belt, the Mining Company (Alila et al., 2006).This has a similarity only other branch reaches the coal mines at Maamba. with what has been happening in Zambia where ZRL and The line from Livingstoneto Mulobezi, (initially serving the TAZARA recorded a decline of 3% and over 60% sawmills) is operated by Zambia Railways for the respectively. Zambia also privatized the running of the government. railways through concessioning in 2003 though this was In the late 1980s the performance of ZRL in terms of terminated in 2012. South Africa on the contrary has total freight movements was in excess of 5 million tonnes recorded a steady increase of 4% in rail freight between per year. However in the subsequent years there has 2010 and 2014 (Transnet, 2014). been a steady decline as can be seen in Figure 3 for the recent past.Passenger traffic also plummeted to 177,097 in 2011 though it improved to 192,608 in 2013.The Performance in Zambia railway has had difficulties in handling the available freighttraffic, despite foreign help notably Canadian The preceding sections have looked at the global position management and training assistance and World 082 J. Bus. Admin. Manage. Sci. Res

Figure 3. ZRL performance in tonnes from 2002 to 2013. FigureSource: 3:ZRL (ZRL, performance 2014) in tonnes from 2002 to 2013. Source: (ZRL, 2014)

Bankloans. The track and signalling systems were potential, and can be of importance for Central Africa. But superior to those of mosttropical African countries but all currently it has a long way to go for efficient operation. this has change. The major problem has been After decline in performance of TAZARA in the initial inadequate funding and trainedstaff and shortages of stages of operations, the Tanzanians and Zambians locomotives and wagons.The entire system isdieselized; invited the Chinese back to help manage the railway in but maintenance has not been adequate (Due, 1983). 1983. Passenger traffic on the railway rose from below 500,000 in the early 1980s to 988,000 in 1990 (Monson, TAZARA: Tazara consists of one line extending 1,885 2004). km from aconnection with ZRL at Kapiri Mposhi to the In the 1990s, the economic performance of the railway harbour at Dar es Salaam (Figure 1).To date the line has began to decline with changes to the broader economic handled primarily Zambia traffic, copper outbound, and political environment. With the independence of fertilizer, grain, and manufactured goods inbound.The Namibia in 1990 and the end to apartheid in South Africa line was built by China and completed in 1975 to free in 1994, Southern African regimes were no longer Zambia of dependence on the southern route. But in dominated by unfriendly leaders and Zambian copper terms of performance it has been a disappointment. It had more economic outlets to the south and east. Road has handled a substantial volume of traffic more cheaply transport provided competition in the form of the Trans– than road transport, but not to the extent anticipated.It is Caprivi Highway and the Walvis Bay Corridor to Namibia. difficult to get adequate scientific explanations of the The completion of the U.S.-sponsored Tan-Zam Highway problems. The basic trouble appears to be inadequate brought direct roadway competition along route. Freight trained personnel, particularly for management and traffic fell from 1.2 million tons in 1990 to 630,000 tonnes equipment maintenance. It has been constantly short of in 2003, to 533,000 tonnes in 2011and 480,000 tons in rolling stock, which has not been maintained well. Train 2013. delays have been serious, with a very slow turnaround time, tying up its own and Zambia Railways wagons. Part ofthe trouble has arisen from congestion in the port of RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Dar es Salaam (Due, 1983). The line has been so short of resourcessuch as fuel that at times it has suspended This paper is based on a bigger research on comparative train service entirely.The fact that it‟s owned by three study of access to railways in Zambia relative to road different countries, Tanzania, Zambia and China, has transport. Literature review, case study of Zambia also complicated the problem. The line has great railways limited and questionnaire survey have been Mwila and Mwanaumo 083

Road Rail Total Market Share

92%

Road Tonnage Rail Tonnage

Figure 4. Road – Rail Traffic share in 2015

Figure 4:Road – Rail Traffic share in 2015 utilized. Data collected from the survey was analysed Road and Rail Traffic, Export-Import Category Wise using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Descriptive analysis and inferential statistics were used to Categorising the traffic moved by road and rail in 2015 analyze the data from the questionnaires and interviews. into export, import, transit and local, it was discovered Inferential statistics infer from the sample data what the that at 37.6%, imports accounted for the largest portion population thinks (Trochim, 2006). The qualitative data moved. Exports only had a partly 13.47% while local and collected from questionnaires and interviews was transit traffic was 28.9% and 20.4% respectively. Figure analysed quantitatively. 5 shows this and also how in the various categories the From literature review, we established the level of road carried most of the traffic. usage and performance of railways in the developed countries, Africa, sub Saharan Africa and Zambia in particular. Secondary information on what is documented Type of traffic moved on the subject matter and what other researchers elsewhere have done was the main source of data. This The traffic moved was classified into thirteen categories method was used in order to lay a foundation of the based on the type of cargo. Table 1 shows how much of research, and build it up on what has been established by each type was moved by road while Table 2 depicts the others (Nkhata, 1997). Literature reviewed mainly traffic moved by rail in terms of export, import, local and included books and journals on rail transport and transit traffic. Figure 6 on the other hand shows the performance reports and presentations of railway distribution of the same traffic between the road and rail. companies and associations. From the research study Metals, Petroleum and grain products accounted for more synthesised data, the position of railways in the Zambian than half, 58.6%, of all the traffic moved by road. Metal transport sector and the causal factors were established. leads the way at 32.6% followed by grain at 13.5% with petroleum at 12.4%. These categories (Metals, Petroleum and grain) are major constituents of the bulk FINDINGS traffic that ideally should be moved by rail. At 8.0% market share most of this traffic is being moved by road. Distribution of Traffic Moved by Road and Rail Figure 6 indicates that the road moved 1,857,706.4 tonnes, which is 81.7%, of all the metals moved by road From the case studies it was established that and rail compared to 416,253.5 tonnes by rail. For 6,702,498.40 tonnes of traffic was moved in Zambia in grains, 819,326.3 tonnes (89.2%) of the road and rail 2015. Out of this only 511,730.00 tonnes was carried on traffic, was moved by road as opposed to 120,735.07 the rail. Based on this sample of traffic as the available tonnes moved by rail. The scenario is worse for cargo on the market, the rail has only 8% of the market Petroleum and other cargo* of which the road moved share. This can be seen in Figure 4. 91.9% and 99.9% respectively. 084 J. Bus. Admin. Manage. Sci. Res

Table 1. Traffic moved by Road cargo type wise.

Type of Cargo Categories of Tonnage moved as Cargo Export Import Local Transit Grand Total Agriculture 57,707.60 52,247.50 63,023.20 36,482.90 209,461.20 Beverages 3,888.70 18,231.70 30,709.80 4,633.10 57,463.30 Building Materials 9,066.20 61,418.70 137,382.40 37,959.30 245,826.60 Chemicals 1,026.70 84,418.10 5,733.20 74,802.50 165,980.50 Food stuff 46,135.00 89,235.60 181,345.70 60,984.50 377,700.80 Grain 259,700.60 253,934.30 262,166.10 43,525.30 819,326.30 Household 4,001.70 148,274.00 30,823.50 32,342.30 215,441.50 Metal 307,953.30 577,898.70 409,770.00 562,084.40 1,857,706.40 Others* 60,645.30 531,935.10 276,204.30 187,186.90 1,055,971.60 Paper 579.90 18,963.30 3,177.00 3,533.80 26,254.00 Passengers 12,214.20 24,046.10 295,217.50 16,882.80 348,360.60 Petroleum 12,455.20 441,008.20 57,097.30 283,994.70 794,555.40 Rubber 668.30 11,106.40 1,297.00 3,648.50 16,720.20 Grand Total 776,042.70 2,312,717.70 1,753,947.00 1,348,061.00 6,190,768.40

*Other cargo includes some food staffs, tarpaulins, beverages, books, plastics, sacks, and packages which are declared as generals or boxes.

Table 2. Traffic moved by Rail cargo type wise

Categories of Tonnage moved as Cargo Category Exports Imports Intermine* Transit Local Grand Total Agriculture 651.10 651.10 Beverages 797.02 797.02 Building Materials 3,745.00 1,100.00 7,804.96 12,649.96 Chemicals 12,557.97 58,853.32 200.00 40.00 71,651.28 Food stuff 39,430.62 42,330.18 81,760.80 Grain 56,801.20 25,630.64 38,303.24 120,735.07 Metal 91,672.01 143,289.71 6,239.76 24,423.56 150,628.46 416,253.50 Others 297.18 72.52 399.34 769.04 Petroleum 18,113.99 7,157.05 44,775.02 70,046.05 Grand Total 205,952.09 247,060.17 6,239.76 321,79.94 283,881.86 775,313.82

*Intermine refers to traffic moved within the copper mining area of Zambia.

General Perception on the state of rail transport in DISCUSSIONS Zambia This study has described the importance of railway The perception of respondents on the causal factors were transport in national economies and the situation in grouped into eight (8) categories with results as shown Zambia relative to what is obtaining elsewhere in the below in Figure 7. The ninth category under “other” world. National development depends to a large extent indicated what could be done to help improve the on transportation of goods and services. A good mix of railways? The general perception of the railways in intermodal transportation is very important to this effect. Zambia is that it‟s performing below expectations due to a However, a good transport system does not automatically number of reasons. Poor infrastructure and equipment, leads to development.Merely improving accessibility and government policies, poor management, very low train thereby reducing travel time and having increased speedand limited routes around the country and rank volumes, would not be sufficient to generate economic very high with 19.6%, 17, 6%, 15.7%, 13.7% and 11.8% growth(Banister and Berechman, 2001).Rail transport of the respondents respectively. This is also shown in should be an important part of a good national and Figure 7. international transport system. This is because railways, Mwila and Mwanaumo 085

2,500,000.00 2,312,717.70

2,000,000.00 1,753,947.00

1,500,000.00 1,348,061.00

1,000,000.00 776,042.70

500,000.00 130,604.56 184,674.98 177,993.31 18,457.15 0.00 Export Import Local Transit

Road Tonnage Rail Tonnage

Figure 5. Road & Rail Traffic category wise Figure 5:Road & Rail Traffic category wise

Rubber 0 16,720.20

Petroleum 70,046.05 794,555.40

Passengers 0 348,360.60

Paper 0 26,254.00

Others 769.04 1,055,971.60

Metal 416,253.50

Household 0 215,441.50 120,735.07

Type ofcargo Type Grain 819,326.30

Food stuff 81,760.80 377,700.80

Chemicals 71,651.28 165,980.50

Building Materials 12,649.96 245,826.60

Beverages 797.02 57,463.30

Agric 651.10 209,461.20

0.00 200,000.00 400,000.00 600,000.00 800,000.00 1,000,000.00 1,200,000.00 1,400,000.00 1,600,000.00 1,800,000.00 Cargo moved in tonnes

Grand Total Rail Grand Total road

Figure 6. Road & Rail Total Traffic based on type of cargo Figure 6:Road & Rail Total Traffic based on type of cargo though the initial costs are high, have a lot of advantages Countries that are developed (such as those in the EU) over other modes of transport which render its use and emerging economies like South Africa haveinvested cheaper (Mehta, 2014). The finding in Zambia confirms heavily in the railways in order toattain the well developed that these advantages were not being utilised. and managed railway transportation systems that they 086 J. Bus. Admin. Manage. Sci. Res

General Perception of Railways in Zambia 25.00%

19.61% 20.00% 17.65% 15.69% 15.00% 13.73% 11.76% 9.80% 10.00% 7.84%

5.00%

1.96% 1.96% Percentage of respondentsof Percentage 0.00%

Perception

Figure 7. General perception of the railways in Zambia.

have. WhereasFigure 7 there:General has beenperception growth of in the terms railways of freight in Zambiarailway transportation have a bearing on national and passenger traffic in developed countries and development, there is need to re-examine these emerging economies, the Zambian railway industry has policies.Policy does not only involve investments but also been deteriorating. This poor performance of the railway encompass issues of management.Thusmanagement is industry in Zambia is adversely affecting transport not only on the company side but also government itself. contribution to economic growth. DeWitt and Clinger The case of TAZARA is a classic example of how good (2015) reports that constraints on coordination of management can turn things around for the better.When infrastructure capacity, including policy and regulatory Chinese management was called to help TAZARA in issues, as well as better management of existing 1983, passenger traffic almost doubled by 1990 (Monson, infrastructure and broader considerations on future, 2004). In addition to policies therefore good management among others will determine the future of intermodal of the railway companies is indispensable in order to transportation. Therefore an underperforming railway improve the efficiency of operations of the railways in becomes a weak link in the transport chain.It‟s difficult to Zambia, increase the carrying capacity and recover some point at the one cause for the situation rail transport in of its market share. Government policy should therefore Zambia finds itself in. However, the findings are that relook at the way the board and management members Poor infrastructure and equipment, government policies, are appointed and/or recruited inorder to have right poor management, very low train speeds and limited people with right competencies for the right jobs (Dessler, routes around the country rank very high. The 2014) and foster professionalism. Government can thus performance of the railways in Zambia (both ZRL and allow to railways to operate as business units only TAZARA), particularly to areas relating to quality of declaring dividends to them with little or no political service, does not meet customer satisfaction. interference. As part of their management of railways, Government of the republic of Zambia (GRZ) has government must have a strong monitoring and recognised the consequences of a poor performing evaluation unit for this purpose. They must not only railway system. Hence their facilitation of foreign help to emphasise the safety aspect of railway monitoring but ZRL and TAZARA (together with Tanzanian government) ensure that both the board and management are at various stages in the past. However, all this has been accountable to the goals of the company and aspirations in vain. Therefore since government policies towards of the people. The policy should also seriously relook at Mwila and Mwanaumo 087

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