Chinese-operated trains coming soon? Photo from CharlesFred

In 1976, Chinese construction crews completed the 1,860-kilometer-long Tanzania-Zambia Railway (Tazara) which runs from Kapiri Mposhi just north of the Zambian capital Lusaka to the Tanzanian capital and major east African port of Dar es Salaam. The railway allowed Zambia to avoid dependence on transport routes through apartheid South Africa, and connected the vast interior of Tanzania with its coast.

Now it appears that the Chinese may get involved in Tazara again. This is from The East African newspaper:

Tanzania, Zambia and China are working on price assessment for possible concessioning of the Tanzania-Zambia Railways Authority (Tazara) to a Chinese private firm early next year.

The three countries have already appointed a team consisting of three parties for the negotiation of the pricing. A private investor from China has been identified.

Brigadier General Peter Tembo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communication and Transport in Zambia, told The East African in Lusaka last week that Zambia and Tanzania had agreed to concession the railway firm to a Chinese investor who will be guaranteed by the Chinese government.

In other China- Africa related transport news, Zimbabwe's Financial Gazette reports:

Air Zimbabwe is to introduce an additional flight into China, the world's fastest growing economy, in response to what officials at the national airline say are increased traffic volumes to the Asian economic giant.

The additional service to China will take off from Harare and land in Guangzhou, capital of the Guangdong Province in Southern mainland China, and one of the most important centres of industry and foreign commerce in China. Air Zimbabwe is already operating a flight into Beijing, which makes a stopover in Singapore.