Mulobezi residents appeal to govt to rehabilitate the infamous Mulobezi railway line

By ANDREW MIKOMA in Makunka
RESIDENTS of Mulobezi district, Western Province have appealed to the UPND government to consider rehabilitating the infamous Mulobezi Railway line.
This follows the derailment which occurred on Friday evening involving train No. 457 on loco 309 known as the Mulobezi mixed train around 17:30 hours between Siambizi- Kalamba section in Kazungula district, causing two wagons to roll over.
The two wagons, left at least 12 people injured and admitted to Mankunka Mission while some are in the Livingstone Teaching Hospital.
According to the residents, the cardinal issue is the track that needs to be rehabilitated as it is in a bad state and takes time to reach Mulobezi.
Muyunda Nasilele, a resident of Machile area in Mulobezi told the Daily Nation in Makunka over the weekend that the railway line was in such disrepair and that what was previously an eight-hour journey once a day became a two-day crawl once a week in the mid-2000’s up to now.
Mr Nasilele said that Mulobezi railway line should be worked on or be given urgent attention by the new administration adding that this was the only reliable mode of transport people from Mulobezi use.
“This line covers 160 kms only but the train takes three days to reach Mulobezi….please let the UPND government look into this matter because it does not only benefit the people of Mulobezi but also Kazungula where it passes through,” Mr Nasilele said.
He has further appealed to Members of Parliament for Katombora and Mulobezi Constituencies to work together and push for the rehabilitation of the railway line.
Another resident, Maliki Mate said,” This is not the first time this is happening. What is a lasting solution ? We can’t continue like this”.
Ms Mate who was heading to Ngwezi area on the same train said that for a long time now, the people of Kazungula and Mulobezi districts have suffered due to the poor state of the rail truck resulting in derailments.
“The rail line needs repairs, in fact a complete overhaul would do in order to avoid such kind of derailments. We have suffered enough,” she said.
And due to the track conditions, the speed limit on the line is 15 km an hour and about 300 passengers, as well as some livestock travel on t an average train.
But despite the low speed, the rail service was still in demand by the local residents, especially during the rain season, when local roads are impassable.