KENYA's president, Mr Mwai Kibaki, officially opened a $US 4.7m 2.3km extension of the Nairobi – Embakasi line to Syokimau on November 14, which is said to be the first new station built in Kenya for 80 years.

TRANSNET officials were all smiles at the South African rail and logistics interim results presentation last week as revenue continues to rise on the back of increased rail shipments.

TANZANIA-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) has signed a $US 42m agreement with the Chinese government that will enable Chinese companies to implement rehabilitation projects on the ailing railway.

TRANSNET signed a Rand 2.6bn ($US 298m) contract with CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive, China, on October 22 for 95 dual-voltage electric locomotives, which are being ordered as part of a massive investment in railfreight capacity in South Africa.

SWAZILAND Railways, Transnet, and Mott MacDonald South Africa have formed a project team to advance plans for the Rand 15.9bn ($US 1.85m) Swazilink connection between Lothair in South Africa's Mpumalanga province and Sidvokodvo, Swaziland.

BRAZILIAN wagon manufacturer AmstedMaxion announced on October 18 it has signed a partnership agreement with Cometal, Mozambique, concerning the development of wagons for customers in southern Africa.

IRJ at the UIC Global Freight Conference in Tangier: The World Bank is putting the finishing touches to a new railway strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Henry des Longchamps, senior transport specialist with the World Bank's Africa Transport Unit, revealed today.

TANZANIA Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) has entered negotiations with SMH Rail, Malaysia, over the rehabilitation of locomotives and wagons as part of an effort to ease the railway's chronic stock shortage.

KENYA Railway Corporation (KRC) has revived an international tender for a design and build turnkey project for a 7km commuter line in Nairobi after it was suspended in the second quarter when Kenya put on hold a planned $US 200m infrastructure bond.

ACTOM Signalling recently completed a Rand 83m ($US 10.1m) signalling upgrade on a 480km section of the Johannesburg - Durban mainline from Union Junction near Germiston to Cedara near Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. Altogether 92 stations were involved.