The Zambian government, through the Ministry of Transport and Communications, has proposed the construction of the Kafue-lion’s den railway line, to run from the Neganega area to the Lion’s Den in Zimbabwe.
This was revealed by team engineering company lead consultant Brian Nkandu during the stakeholder’s consultation scoping meeting for the environmental social impact assessment of the Kafue to Chirundu railway link project in Chirundu district.
Nkandu explained that the railway line will be 304km long from Zambia to Zimbabwe with Zambia covering 95 kilometres from Kafue to Chirundu. He said:
The Kafue-Chirundu railway line lies in Lusaka and Southern provinces, traversing over four districts namely Kafue, Mazabuka, Chikankata and Chirundu districts before crossing into neighbouring Zimbabwe.
Nkandu added that the railway line is a single gauge of 1600 millimetres. He said they have selected the single gauge dimension because it fits both Zambia and Zimbabwe’s existing railway designs.
The proposed railway line will pass through small scale farming areas cutting the Mazabuka road near the turnpike, running south along the tarred Kafue Chirundu main road through Kabanana and into Chirundu border town. He said:
The railway line will cross the Zambezi River into Zimbabwe terminating at Lion’s Den town where it will be linked to railways systems of Zimbabwe to the port of Beira in Mozambique.
Ministry of Transport and Communications Inspector of railways Jordan Zimba urged Chirundu residents to embrace the construction of the railway line as it will attract investment.