Zambia and Zimbabwe Sign $2B Deal for Regional Rail
On 11 April 2026, Zimbabwe and Zambia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of a regional railway line linking the Lion’s Den in Zimbabwe to Kafue in Zambia. Zimbabwean Minister of Transport Felix Mhona and his Zambian counterpart Frank Tayali signed the MoU. The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the board meeting of the Emerged Railway Properties — a JV between Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) and National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) — at Victoria Falls.
The railway line is 311 kilometers in length, of which 217 kilometers is in Zimbabwe and 94 kilometers is in Zambia. The railway will utilize the 1067-mm Cape Gauge, with provisions for future upgrade to Standard Gauge. The scope of the project also includes the rehabilitation of 445 kilometers of rail toward the Mozambican border. The cost of the project is estimated at around USD 2.2 billion.
“The MoU is a strategic reset for regional mobility and commerce. It is about reigniting regional integration, economic growth, and shared prosperity. It will create opportunities for youth, build institutional capacity, and strengthen partnerships that drive progress. The responsibility now rests on all stakesholders to ensure that the spirit of this revitalization is translated into tangible progress and visible impact.”
Zambia Transport Minister Frank Tayali
“I am delighted that I got my counterpart this year, my brother. We mandated, it was very clear from our two great leaders, and in particular, President Mnangagwa, our visionary leader. We have been championing the issues to do with the #Vision2030ZM agenda, where we are going to be having an upper middle income society as a map.”
Zimbabwe Transport Minister Felix Mhona
It passes through key conglomerations in Zimbabwe, including the Lion’s Den, Chakuti, Denis, Makuti, Hurungwe National Park and Chirundu on the border. On the Zambian side, it will go through Chrirundu, Chinkankata, Mazabuka, before terminating at Kafue. The railway line will run parallel to the highway. In total, 16 stations and two marshalling yards will be constructed along the line. The Chirundu Border Post will be upgraded to a full-fledged One-Stop Border Post to facilitate crossings.
This regional rail project should be viewed in the larger regional context and will complement and interconnect with the #NacalaCorridor and North-South Corridor, which all aim to link landlocked countries in #SADC to seaports on the Indian Ocean. When completed, it will reduce transit times and lower transport costs to the seaport of Beira in Mozambique. The project will be financed by the private sector with strong government support.
“The railway route will reduce transit distances significantly — 800 kilometres shorter from Zambia to the port of Beira as opposed to going via the North-South corridor, 1000 kilometres shorter than the distance to South African ports, and 500 kilometres shorter than the distance to the port of Dar es Salaam. This will lower transport and logistics costs and enhance rail competitiveness across the region.”
Zimbabwe Ministry of Transport PS Joy Makumbe
