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Russian investors are considering setting up a locomotive assembling plant in Zimbabwe, in a development expected to boost the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ)’s revival efforts.

A team of Russian investors is in the country to explore investment opportunities in the railway sector, with the setting up of a locomotive assembling plant on the cards.

The investors met the NRZ board in Harare yesterday and discussed a number of issues including their partnership with the parastatal.

“We are in the country to see how we can partner and invest in the country’s railway system. We want to modernise the country’s railway system in different areas,” said Dr Singh Raghav.

NRZ board chairperson, Advocate Martin Dinha, said the proposed investment feeds into the parastatals’ strategic plan and National Development Strategy (NDS) 1.

“We have a vision of transforming the country’s railway system into a modern one. The Russians want to set up a locomotive plant apart from supplying us with wagons and we will be going into the next phase of the programme. 

“It’s part of NDS1 and our strategic plan as well.”

NRZ’s 2020 to 2030 strategic plan seeks to transform the parastatal into a modern railway firm and increase the entity’s capacity to 4,5 million tonnes by 2023 — Herald/ ZBC News.