Last Monday, striking Zimbabwean and Tanzanian railway workers over non-payment of wages by the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) downed tools , with the railway management declaring that all train operations “have been suspended indefinitely.”

However, on Friday, the suspension was lifted and all train operations resumed operations with immediate effect.

This was after a ruling by the High Court of Tanzania declared the strike unlawful, and also odering that the employees are permanently restrained from conducting illegal strikes in future.

The critical factor in the ending of the strike was more likely the fact that Tawara announced it had somehow managed to source funds to pay all the employees their salary arrears – the reason for the strike action both in Zambia and Tanzania.