New trail of hope

BURUNDI: TANZANIA and Burundi marked a significant milestone yesterday with the launch of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) construction, connecting Uvinza in Kigoma Region to Musongati in Burundi.

The 300-kilometre railway line is poised to boost regional trade and strengthen economic integration between the two countries.

The project, valued at 2.54 billion US dollars (equivalent to 5.6tri/-), is financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and will be built under the design-and-build system using American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-ofWay Association (AREMA) standards.

It represents sections seven and eight of Tanzania’s national SGR and is designed to carry both heavy cargo and passengers.

Out of the 300 kilometres, 240 will form the main line and 60 kilometres will be passing loops. The Uvinza–Malagarasi section in Tanzania covers 190 kilometres, while the Malagarasi–Musongati section in Burundi spans 110 kilometres.

The project is expected to be completed within 72 months, including a oneyear trial period. Once operational, the railway will feature freight and passenger stations, linking Burundi’s nickel-rich Musongati mines to Tanzania’s Port of Dar es Salaam.

At the ceremony, Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye described the launch as a historic step for both nations and the wider region.

He said the railway is more than infrastructure, calling it a bridge of cooperation, unity and prosperity.

“Our nations share a history, a culture and a destiny that are deeply intertwined. This gathering is a call to strengthen our bonds and to work together for the prosperity of our people,” he said.

President Ndayishimiye said the railway would ease the movement of goods, reduce costs and expand opportunities for trade and investment.

He further said that citizens will feel the impact through better markets for farmers, new business opportunities and jobs for young people.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, who represented President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the event, said the project is a continuation of cooperation initiated in 1979.

He recalled that in January 2022, the two countries agreed to build the line to connect Musongati mines to Dar es Salaam port, which handles the bulk of cargo in the region.

“This is the first cross-border SGR in East Africa. It will reduce transport costs by more than 40 per cent and provide reliable services for both goods and passengers,” he said.

The Prime Minister also conveyed President Samia’s greetings to the government and people of Burundi, saying she commended the milestone as a step toward deeper relations between the two neighbours.

Minister for Transport, Prof Makame Mbarawa, said the line will be powered by electricity from natural sources, reducing carbon emissions in line with global climate targets.

He said transporting a 20-foot container from Dar es Salaam to Burundi currently costs about 3,800 US dollars (about 9.88m/-), but once the railway is complete, the cost will fall to around 2,000 US dollars (around 5.2m/-).

Prof Mbarawa added that the SGR will carry far more cargo than road transport. “A single truck carries about 30 tonnes, while the railway will haul around 3,800 tonnes in one trip,” he said.

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A representative from AfDB said the project will open opportunities in mining, agriculture and regional trade while making passenger travel safer and faster.

He added that the line will strengthen the central corridor and link with the southern corridor extending into Zambia and Southern Africa, the northern corridor from Mombasa through Uganda and the Great Lakes and the Djibouti corridor linking Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan