Traders in Malawi worried over delay to start operations of Chipata-Mchinji Railway line.

The National Association of Small and medium Enterprises NASME in Malawi, has expressed concern over the stalled works for sheds and container terminals for the Chipata-Mchinji Railway Line.
The sheds and container terminals will make the railway line fully fledged to carry and store cargo.
NASME Executive Director, William Mwale, says that despite lots of money being spent on the project, nothing had materialized for over two decades.
Mr Mwale observed that Zambia has become a trading ground for Southern and Eastern African Countries, with Lusaka’s, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, COMESA market hosting traders from over 8 African countries.
He says that once the railway line is up and running, Zambia’s economy will be boosted as the country will be further opened to the African region.
And during a site visit of the railway line a few weeks ago, Zambia Railway Limited Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Muyenge Atanga, said that the railway line, whose construction works were started in 1980, will be up and running by January next year.
Mr Mwale is on a visit to Chipata with a group of entrepreneurs from Malawi, to have discussions with the business community in the district, on how the two countries can create partnerships in Agri-business as well as the manufacturing sector.