Tanzania is scrambling to stop vandalism of its new electric standard gauge railway (SGR) infrastructure after two incidents in recent weeks disrupted train services from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.

The issue reached the floor of Parliament on Tuesday after legislators raised it as a matter of urgency to protect an asset that has lately become Tanzania’s selling point for regional trade.

The MPs demanded that the authorities, led by the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC), install surveillance systems in addition to regular patrols and general regulation of the scrap metal business to prevent the railway from falling into the hands of thieves.

In the past month, at least three bridges have been vandalised as thieves made off with metal equipment for scrap.

Following the incident, the newly introduced electric multiple unit (EMU) train, which began commercial service last week to boost traffic on the SGR line between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, was held up for hours.

Preliminary investigations showed that vandals had cut vital electrical infrastructure, although officials termed it as an act of economic sabotage.

Police said they were holding four suspects to be charged with vandalising government infrastructure. George Katabazi, the Dodoma regional police commander, said the suspects were found with cables belonging to TRC.

The incidents were reported in Msagati, Mpwapwa District, Dodoma Region, where suspects last week cut off and stole copper cables from three railway bridges. Police said they arrested suspects who were found with some of the material.

The vandalism reflects the booming scrap metal business in Tanzania.

Read: Tanzania zooms ahead with new electric trains, express serviceExperts have said adequate protection of the railway and other vital transport infrastructure should include regulation of the scrap metal trade, as sellers are not often required to provide proof of origin of the scrap, especially since thieves dispose of the metals on the cheap.

A road engineer, Dr Sylvester Mukasa, told The EastAfrican that while the acts of vandalism were not limited to the SGR, they could affect it more because the thieves were targeting the key pillars of the infrastructure.

He said he had observed vandals also cutting metal on bridges along major roads and also tampering with electricity pylons belonging to Tanesco.

In Parliament, the Budget and Infrastructure Committee members described the vandalism as sabotage, with the committee’s chairman Selemani Kakoso calling on authorities to act fast.

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