Cear concerned with increased vandalism

The Central East African Railways (Cear) has expressed concern over increased vandalism of its equipment that it has said is a threat to its services and revenue.

In an e-mail response on Monday, Cear communications officer Chisomo Mwamadi said over the last two months there has been an increase in vandalism which is threatening their operations in some routes.

“The latest case of vandalism is in Liwonde, Machinga where our security personnel and the police have arrested someone who has been stealing railway clips and slippers for kitchen baskets. He is currently in police custody. When people vandalise railway materials we fail to service those routes for some time to rehabilitate them. We lose a lot of money to rehabilitate the routes and lose business in freight and passenger fares,” said Mwamadi.

He has so far appealed to the public to be responsible and to assist in safeguarding the railway lines because they are important to the country’s economic development.

He added that the railway company will intensify safety campaigns throughout the country this year to ensure that people are aware of the implications of vandalism.

Early this year Cear went across the country to raise safety awareness to communities and schools that are along the railway lines.

But the vandalism may also be a threat to Cear investment.

In 2010, Brazil mining group Vale acquired 85 percent of shares in Cear promising to transform Malawi into a regional hub in Southern Africa.

Last year Cear launched the rehabilitation of a 98-kilometre Nkaya-Limbe railway line which is part of a 810-km project which is expected to be completed by March 2015.