Tunisia-Surprise visit by President Kais Saied to transport infrastructure

During an unexpected visit to the Jebel Jelloud train depot and the Tunis Marine light metro station, President of the republic Kaïs Saïed assessed the condition of the rolling stock and its maintenance during this visit, the president emphasised the urgency of eradicating the degradation and corruption which undermine this essential public service. He remarked on the lamentable state of many cars, transformed into piles of rusty, unusable scrap metal, while citizens, some of them, have to leave their houses up to three hours in advance to find a means of transport, often in inhumane conditions.

Kais Saïed also noted various examples of corruption affecting this sector for decades, including the installation and then abandonment of certain light rail lines following the intervention of powerful lobbyists, and the purchase of equipment unsuitable for existing infrastructure.