SITTA HALTS TRL WAGON DEAL

Transport minister Samuel Sitta has stopped importation of the remaining 124 passenger and freight wagons supplied by an Indian firm to Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL) pending a report by a taskforce that was mandated to investigate claims that they were defective. The minister also ordered the board to prepare a report on the same by Friday. The report should recommend, among other things, the fate of the six senior TRL officials who were suspended in connection with the scam.

TRL signed two contracts with an Indian company in 2013 for the purchase of 25 freight wagons worth Sh8.3 billion and 274 passenger wagons worth about Sh51 billion.TRL has so far received 150 passenger wagons and the remaining 124 were expected to arrive by the end of this month. The carriages in question were purchased from India’s Hindustan Engineering and Industries.

“I have ordered the chairman and the board to make sure the report is ready by Friday this week and this will determine the decision on the matter,” said Mr Sitta.

During a press conference yesterday Mr Sitta said if the report would prove any irregularities the government would not hesitate to take serious actions against the supplier. He said the first actions would be to terminate the contract on grounds of lack of trust and take anyone involved to court over charges of economic sabotage. The minister said most of the claims emerged due to the fact that the wagons have been at the centre of frequent accidents. TRL informed the supplier which sent engineers to fix the carriages.

Posted by Mmasi Irine