Andrew Lunga tipped to head NRZ

FORMER Botswana Railways chief executive officer (CEO), Andrew Lunga, is tipped for appointment as the troubled National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ)'s general manager.

The parastatal has been operating without a substantive head following the death of the then general manager, air commodore Mike Karakadzai, who perished in a car accident in August 2013.

Lewis Mukwada has been acting as the general manager. Before that, he was the director of technical services.

When NRZ advertised for the position of general manager, 40 candidates entered the race, but could not meet the grade.

The board was then forced to cast its net wider, resulting in the short-listing of five candidates; three Zimbabweans in the diaspora and two locals.

Impeccable sources said Lunga could soon be appointed as the new general manager, having impressed the board, chaired by veteran rail man, Alvord Mabena.

Lunga previously served as NRZ's stationmaster at Serule and Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana, before joining Botswana Railways.

At the expiry of his tenure as Botswana Railways CEO, Lunga returned home where he worked for a number of organisations, including Viamex - an international company which does consultancy work for railways in southern Africa.