(FOCAC) Xiplomacy: TAZARA railway -- road of hope, monument of friendship

Tanzanian Minister of Transport Makame Mbarawa speaks during a ceremony to honor the Chinese people who died during the construction of the TAZARA railway at the Chinese experts' cemetery in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on April 2, 2024. (Xinhua/Herman Emmanuel)

"This sacred place deserves to be well-guarded because they are heroes who have forged a monument of the China-Tanzania and China-Africa friendships. Chinese and African people will always remember their names," 43-year-old cemetery keeper Msafiri Omary said.

by Xinhua writer Hua Hongli

DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Every morning, 43-year-old Tanzanian Msafiri Omary starts his day as a cemetery keeper at the Gongo la Mboto cemetery in the western suburb of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

He guards the monument of Chinese engineers and workers who lost their lives constructing the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway and assisting in Tanzania's development in the 1970s.

On March 25, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping, during his first state visit to Tanzania, paid tribute to the heroes buried in the cemetery accompanied by then-Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

"They are the heroes who cast the monument of China-Tanzania and China-Africa friendship," Xi said then.

"There was a drizzle, and President Xi carefully straightened the ribbons on the wreaths and laid a bouquet of white flowers," recalled Omary, adding that as Xi passed each tombstone, he carefully read the inscriptions.

"I felt President Xi's deep respect for the deceased," Omary said.

File photo taken on June 2, 2022 shows the graves of Chinese engineers and workers in the TAZARA Memorial Park in Chongwe, Lusaka Province, Zambia.(Xinhua/Martin Mbangweta)

HEROES ALWAYS REMEMBERED

During a pivotal period of economic development for Tanzania and Zambia in the 1970s, some 50,000 Chinese workers and engineers arrived in the nations to help construct the TAZARA railway.

Complicated terrain and varying elevations brought many challenges to the construction work. The builders also had to face unimaginably difficult conditions, such as limited medical care, food shortages, hot weather, and the prevalence of diseases.

In the past five decades, 70 Chinese engineers, technicians, and workers lost their lives during railway construction, technical cooperation, or other projects in Tanzania.

The 1,860-km-long railway from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia serves as a reminder of the longstanding relationship between China and Tanzania.

"This sacred place deserves to be well-guarded because they are heroes who have forged a monument of the China-Tanzania and China-Africa friendships. Chinese and African people will always remember their names," Omary said.

"I have been working in this cemetery for almost 20 years to make sure that this sacred place is highly preserved to show respect to the fallen Chinese martyrs," said Omary.

"I have also received all walks of people who visit this area from across the world as tourists and students from schools and universities to learn about the history of TAZARA," he said, adding that some visitors went to the cemetery to lay wreaths and others came for research.

Visitors to the cemetery come from different countries, including Tanzania, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other African countries.

"Our Chinese brothers will always be remembered," Omary said.

File photo taken on June 2, 2022 shows the entrance of the TAZARA Memorial Park in Chongwe, Lusaka Province, Zambia. (Xinhua/Martin Mbangweta)

IRON-CLAD BROTHERS

For 70-year-old Tanzanian Donatus Ngonyani, a former TAZARA railway construction worker, his life is also closely linked with the TAZARA railway.

On a weekday morning, Ngonyani walked onto the platform as he had countless times before and watched the train slowly pulling into the station. The platform was bustling with students, vendors, and travelers, all in a rush. Ngonyani vividly recalled the scene from 48 years ago, when the TAZARA railway began its commercial operation.

"The station was also packed with people; everyone was dressed in their festive best. The Chinese experts and Tanzanian workers were smiling, and we patted each other's shoulders in celebration," he said.

People waved their arms when the first train slowly departed from the station, and the crowd erupted into enthusiastic cheers. The celebrations lasted an entire day, with everyone dancing, singing, and many even performing, he recalled.

"The years spent building the TAZARA railway with our Chinese friends are unforgettable memories in my life. I am proud of it and will always cherish it," Ngonyani told Xinhua.

In 1971, when Ngonyani was not yet 18, he joined the construction team of the railway. "At that time, the entire nation of Tanzania was full of expectations for this railway, and my family hoped I could participate in constructing this great project."

At first, Ngonyani, like most local workers, knew nothing about railway construction, but the Chinese experts shared everything with them. "They demonstrated each step, taught us how to use various tools, how to measure the distance between tracks, and patiently guided us through every complex task of laying the rails."

"We lived together and ate together, sometimes Chinese food and sometimes local cuisine, and we learned Chinese from them, and they learned Swahili from us, and we were like one family," Ngonyani reminisced.

"We helped each other, and we are iron brothers," Ngonyani said.

As the railway was nearing completion, Ngonyani mustered the courage to express his desire to learn how to drive a train. "I was very nervous at the time, but my mentor not only didn't refuse but wholeheartedly supported me."

"That decision completely changed the course of my life," Ngonyani said emotionally. "From mechanical structure to safe driving, the Chinese experts' teaching was very detailed, ensuring that I could grasp every aspect."

Ngonyani became one of the first local train drivers on the TAZARA railway, a position he held for 28 years. During this time, he also trained more than a dozen apprentices.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian (L, Front), Tanzanian Minister of Transport Makame Mbarawa (R, Front), and other participants line up to lay flowers at the Chinese experts' cemetery in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on April 2, 2024. (Xinhua/Herman Emmanuel)

CARRYING FORWARD TAZARA SPIRIT

Xi attaches great importance to China-Africa relations. In 2013, during his first overseas visit as Chinese president, he came to Tanzania, where he proposed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith to guide China's cooperation with African countries.

In the new era, China has continued to bring new opportunities to African countries and remained committed to the overall direction of mutual trust, mutual benefit, mutual learning and mutual assistance in growing China-Africa relations.

"Even when China was poor, it tightened its belt to help its African brothers build this railway. Now that China is more developed, it is better placed to act on the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, help our African friends achieve common development, and build a stronger China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said during talks with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan in November 2022. The two heads of state announced the elevation of the China-Tanzania relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

As former Tanzanian Minister of Communication and Transport Mark Mwandosya said, the TAZARA railway is a road of everlasting friendship between the peoples of China, Tanzania, and Zambia, and it also serves as a road of freedom that brought hope to the African people, playing a vital role in the struggle for national liberation and economic independence in Africa.

Over its 48 years of operation, the TAZARA railway has transported over 30 million tons of cargo and carried more than 40 million passengers, becoming a vital artery that ensures the economic operation and development of Tanzania, Zambia, and surrounding areas.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian said the TAZARA railway has made substantial contributions to African liberation and the socio-economic development of the regions along its route, pioneering significant infrastructure cooperation between China and Africa.

The two sides should inherit and carry forward the spirit of the TAZARA railway, and make new and more significant contributions to building a closer China-Tanzania and China-Africa community with a shared future, the ambassador added.

Bruno Ching'andu, managing director of TAZARA, said that the railway, with its strategic position, has become an essential link for regional connectivity, providing significant dynamics for promoting trade and regional integration in Africa in the context of economic globalization.