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Talent Chimutambgi-Herald Reporter

THE planned construction of the Harare-Chitungwiza railway line has received a significant boost following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Zimbabwe and China at the just-ended Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

President Mnangagwa last week met his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, in Beijing and the two leaders witnessed the signing of 17 bilateral agreements between Zimbabwe and China, including an MoU which seeks to enhance the implementation of high-impact projects.

Under the agreement, a railway line will be built between Harare and Chitungwiza, a move which will ease transport challenges between the town and the capital.

Zimbabwe was among over 50 African countries participating at FOCAC, which sought to upscale cooperation between China and Africa.

Among the 17 memorandums of understanding was one on the recapitalisation and upgrading of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) as well as the building of a railway line between Harare and Chitungwiza.

The  urban rail project has been on the cards for more than three decades.

The Harare-Chitungwiza public transport route is served by commuter omnibuses, which rarely provide efficient services in terms of frequency, capacity, safety and travel time.

With growing passenger volumes between the town and the capital city constituting 17 percent of Zimbabwe’s population, the rail link would improve public transport.

NRZ public affairs and stakeholder relations manager, Mr Andrew Kunambura, said the establishment of the railway line lies with the Government.

“We are an operator and once that line is established, we are ready to operate on it.

“The establishment of the line lies with the shareholder. When the shareholder says we will build that line and they build it, we are ready to run it,” said Mr Kunambura.

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Harare Mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, said the high-impact project was long overdue, adding that developments on land reserved for the line would not deter the project.

“The Harare-Chitungwiza railway line is long overdue and anyone who built on the area meant for the railway line will be moved because the issue of transport in Harare and greater Harare is of paramount importance, it will not be compromised,” said Clr Mafume.

Chitungwiza Municipality public relations officer, Mr Tafadzwa Kachiko, described the line as a welcome development, adding that council would take the necessary measures to verify how people who built properties on land meant for the railway line were allocated stands.

Mr Kachiko said the project would instil confidence in investors and ease traffic jams along Seke Road.

He said those who acquired land fraudulently would face the consequences while those who got the land legally might be compensated depending on the outcome of a full council meeting.

“This issue is subject to discussion. A full council meeting will decide ways to settle that and there will not be any challenges since the issue of the railway line is a special project that will ease congestion along Seke Road,” said Mr Kachiko.

“There will be a need to verify how those individuals acquired the land; there might be some compensation depending on the outcome of a full council meeting. The development is welcome as it will also instil investor confidence”.

Recent developments have raised concerns about land allocation along the railway corridor, with allegations that certain individuals, referred to as “land barons,” have been parcelling out land reserved for critical social amenities.

These amenities include a school and shopping mall, sparking controversy over the handling of land distribution in the area.