In a bid to
suppress any further attempt of drivers’ unexpected series of strikes in the
country, the Ministry of Labor, Youths and Employment has pledged to facilitate
the registration process of the up-country truck driver’s trade union under
their association known in Swahili acronym as “Chamamata”. Labour Minister
Gaudensia Kabaka made the declaration early this week in Dar es Salaam in a
meeting with stakeholders and besieged truck drivers who had threatened to go
on strike to immediately stop their plans as the ministry is currently working
on their issue. News reports about the secretly planned drivers’ strike were
earlier published by a weekly tabloid of the Guardian sister paper ‘Nipashe’
two weeks ago. The news contents in the weekly
edition quoted the drivers’ claims had it that they wanted the government to
pressurize the office of the registrar of a trade union to give a full
registration of the workers’ trade union which drivers had long been demanding for
their association. The contents in the paper highlighted how strike had to be implemented
as it could involve truck drivers who transport both imports and exports of
goods like oil and foodstuffs and containers carrying industrial raw materials
and construction equipments. The newspaper is quoted as saying that the
drivers’ syndicate is said to have been disseminated through social media networks
after stakeholders had noticed there were some sort of resentments shown by the
registrar office of the trade union who don’t want drivers’ association registered.
Minister for Labor, Youths and Employment Mrs. Gaudensia Kabaka
Such reports were
spread among the stakeholders one week after passenger drivers ended a recent two
day strike that shocked the nation in what seemed to be a lesson that drivers demonstrated
to shame the government officials who do not want to settle down their queries.
Elaborating more over the matter, Minister Kabaka has assured truck drivers to
draw a little bit patience as their issue is on her table for clearance of
their concern. “I besiege truck drivers to wait for a while as my office is
collaborating with the registrar of trade unions in order to solve their
queries”, she said and warned that having a series of strike is a loss to the
nation bearing the fact that transport is a key sector that facilitate economy.
However, she has also advised drivers to
form a single unified body that would be representing their queries to the
government instead of having numerous drivers’ associations whose control
becomes rather difficult. Two weeks ago, after the up-country passenger bus
drivers’ went on strike, the government formed a thirteen person permanent
committee to oversee at various concerns facing drivers in the country. The team members which is being led
by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Dr. Shabaan Mwinjaka
as a chair person is yet to reveal what is inside a nutshell that cause drivers
to organize a series of strike despite of their regular demands of better
working conditions. Minister for
Transport, Samuel Sitta was quoted by the media as saying that the committee
will be meeting frequently to discuss various concerns facing the drivers and come
up with solutions.
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