PRESIDENT JULIUS NYERERE OF TANZANIA AND KENNETH KAUNDA OF ZAMBIA ON MONDAY OPENED THE NEW 18-MILLION STERLING OIL PIPELINE LINKING DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA AND LANDLOCKED ZAMBIA. THE PIPELINE - 1.058 MILES (1,688 KMS.) LONG - WILL GIVE ZAMBIA ITS FIRST RELIABLE OIL SUPPLY SINCE RHODESIA'S UNILATERAL DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IN 1965.

THE PIPELINE WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE FINISHED ON SEPTEMBER 15, BUT GAS OIL STARTED ARRIVING AT THE NDOLA TERMINAL ON AUGUST 25, MORE THAN THREE MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. THE PIPELINE TOOK ABOUT A YEAR TO BUILD, AND AT ONE POINT CLIMBS SOME 6,000 FEET (1,800 METRES) THROUGH TANZANIA'S SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS.

ZAMBIA HAS HAD DIESEL AND PETROL RATIONING - WITH ONLY ONE SHORT BREAK - SINCE DECEMBER 1965. LAST DECEMBER AND JANUARY, THERE WAS NO PETROL AT ALL IN THE COUNTRY, DESPITE STRICT COUPON RATIONING.

NDOLA ITSELF WAS IN A FESTIVE MOOD ON MONDAY FOR THE OPENING CEREMONY. FLAGS LINED THE ROUTE FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE PIPELINE COMPLEX, AND CROWDS STOOD BESIDE THE ROAD TO CHEER AS PRESIDENTS NYERERE AND KAUNDA DROVE PAST.

IN FORMAL SPEECHES BOTH PRESIDENTS SPOKE OF THE HARD WORK THAT HAD GONE INTO THE PIPELINE, AND THE REWARDS BOTH COUNTRIES COULD EXPECT TO REAP FROM ITS INSTALLATION.

PRESIDENT KAUNDA MET PRESIDENT NYERERE AT NDOLA AIRPORT, AND THE TWO LEADERS TRAVELLED TOGETHER TO THE PIPELINE TERMINAL. THEY WERE ENTERTAINED BY A GROUP OF TRIBAL DANCERS BEFORE THEY WERE CONDUCTED ON A TOUR OF INSPECTION.

THERE WERE FEARS OF POLITICAL DEMONSTRATIONS, AND ALTHOUGH SCATTERED MEMBERS OF THE CROWD CARRIED PLACARDS AND BANNERS, THE CONTINGENT OF POLICE POSTED TO THE AREA WERE NOT CALLED INTO ACTION.