Labour ministry: We are in regular touch with drivers’ contracts

Two weeks after the government formed an inquiry team to investigate the long standing contractual problems involving drivers and their employers, the Ministry of Labour, Youths and Employment has revealed that, they have started to receive copies of the contractual employment entered between transporters and drivers. Speaking exclusively a labour officer working at a Dar es Salaam regional office who preferred anonymity for not being a spokesperson for the ministry matters said that, his office has retained over 100 copies for references. He said that, the exercise had been regularly taking place at his office ever since drivers started complaining about their contractual rights against their employers, and added that it had been even before they went on strike. However, he has dismissed misconceptions that seem to be contrary to allegations being raised by drivers who recently went on two day strike claiming that have no employment contracts. According to him, the regional office coordinates with the Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) who issues transport licenses to ensure that such documents are correct as in accordance with the requirements endorsed by following government’s regulations set for its scheme of service. Contacted for comments, the Ministry’s spokesperson Ridhiwani Wema who admitted of the on-going process elaborated the matter into details saying that, his ministry has set aside two days that is on every Tuesday and Thursday of the week of receiving such copies. He noted that, on the receipt of such documents they are then ascertained to prove their authenticity with the original copy which normally is signed in presence of both drivers and their transporters. He further noted that, the verification of such documents are first proved by the officials from SUMATRA before are cleared and kept in cabinet files within their office. This blog visited the office on Thursday last week and was shown samples of such copies that have been kept on a cabinet file, an indication that proves the government is seriously working to solve drivers’ woes in the country. A close observation discovered that most of such contracts have been recently signed and endorsed with all the required information such like terms of service, allowances given to drivers and other benefits such as medical and NSSF schemes. Meanwhile, a private lawyer specializing in labour laws has said that, it is not the duty of the government to ensure that all casual laborers are employed once have toiled three months of work without actually given a contract letter detailing workers  employment status. Sylvester Reuben said in an exclusive interview that, the labour laws imposed by the government are there to ensure that every employer strictly abide by them, and in case of any fault that it is the workers who have the duty to sue their employers before the court of law for such violations. He said that, the government cannot scrutinize all companies in thorough searching to see notorious employers who flouts such laws at the expense of company’s workers as the work is very tedious and time taken.

TMEA to work on “One stop inspection stations” along central corridor

AFTER having successfully accomplished the improvements of infrastructure at border posts, Trademark East Africa (TMEA) has resort to embark on a significant progress on the One Stop Inspection Stations (OSIS) programme along the central business corridor. TMEA’s country Director for Tanzania Dr. Jesephat Kweka said on Monday this week in Dar es Salaam at the launch of the annual report of TMEA for 2013/14. The report titled “Partnering for prosperity in East Africa” significantly entails various development initiatives currently being undertaken by the TMEA with the aim of improving inland transportation infrastructure within East Africa region. Dr. Kweka noted that, the feasibility study has been completed and procurement for detailed design and supervision for a consultant to carry out design and supervision work is already initiated in three identified sites.  The selected sites are Nyakanazi in Kigomna region, Vigwaza in Tabora and Manyoni in Singida region respectively. On completion of these stops are expected to reduce the time it takes to transport goods along the central corridor. Elaborating more, Dr. Kweka noted that they would improve road safety, reduce road congestion and introducing electronically linked weigh in motion weighbridges to reduce truck weighing times. Among the most completed projects that TMEA has tirelessly worked for East and Central Africa states since its inception in 2009, is the elimination of Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to improve efficiency while transporting goods for prosperity within the regional block. Other projects he mentioned in his presentation is  that, the TMEA is engaged with currently includes the, modernization of Dar es Salaam port which by 2020 is expected to handle 22 million tones annually from the current 12 million tones the port is handling. Among the projects underway is the construction of modern good sheds, construction of a 1 kilometer road from the port yard, dredging at the berths N0 1 to 7 to approximately 13 meters deep from the water surface in order to enable anchorage of bigger ships at the port. Other successful achievements he noted are Successful implementation of MEAC’s Direct Financial aid, Effective engagement with CSOs, PSOs, Improve efficiency at borders (OSBPs) Improve management of Central Corridor and the Improve efficiency of standards testing. TMEA works closely with East African Community (EAC) institutions, national governments, the private sector and civil society to increase trade by unlocking economic potential through: Increased market access Enhanced trade environment; and Increased product competitiveness. He said that, TradeMark remains true as a development partner, supporting East African institutions across the region to deliver tangible results, through its close partnerships with government, businesses and civil society. In view of these developments initiatives, East Africa is increasingly becoming connected in trade whether though common customs tariffs or common market protocol. This interconnectedness will bring transformative change in trade and increased prosperity for its people.

Why human trafficking deal finds easy access in Tanzania

As the habit of human trafficking and illegal immigration is becoming rampant in the country, the government has been asked to review some of the penal codes so as to impose harsh punishments with a view to deter people who facilitate such cross border illegal business deals. Speaking exclusively this week in Dar es Salaam, the Deputy Commissioner of Immigration Services, Abbas Irovya said that, dealers of illegal human trafficking and illegal immigrants finds easy access in the country due to less severe punishments imposed to them once caught with the offense. Despite having a series of changes on laws of Anti-human trafficking Act 2008 and that of Immigration Act N0. 7 Cap 54 of 1995 which was revised in 2002, human trafficking and illegal immigration is still a great challenge in the country, he affirmed. Irovya who a lawyer by profession noted that, the country’s laws are outdated and needs to be reviewed to match with current situation in order to curb the menace which seems to be growing at a high speed. He said under the current laws  “facilitators are normally fined or sent to jail for failure of paying fines once found guilty an aspect that most of them resort to pay fines and walk free or deported, the penalty that is not enough to enable eradicate the increased phenomenon in the country”. He outlined some of the sections that are ignored and not adhered to as 31(1) L, 31 (1) P and 31(1) Q of the Immigration Act that prohibits harboring illegal immigrants. The latter section prohibits an employer from employing a foreigner without work permit. When asked why Tanzania has become so prone to human trafficking he noted that it is because of its strategic geographical position that people from Ethiopia who are mostly notorious of such malpractices finds easy access through on their way to South Africa. He noted that, Ethiopians collude with few untrustworthy Tanzania nationals who help facilitate their movements a factor that is illegal to the existing laws of the country. 

Deputy Commissioner of Immigration Services, Abbas Irovya 

 The business which he says is becoming so lucrative is a syndicate that is well planned and organized by unknown people and penetrated through due to easy global communication link that helps information access through by use of mobile phones. He has however, suggested that, the government should impose punitive measures that would include not only long jail term in prisons, but also even the confiscation of the properties including houses on which such illegal immigrants are being accommodated while on transit. He further noted that, to a certain extent the immigration dept in the country has managed to control such movements across the border following the installation of a special electronic device called ‘immigration control equipment’ that has helped a lot to capture people’s information especially those they suspect. He said the equipment has other roles to play of detecting people who involves in cross border crimes such as the illegal drug trafficking. However, he has called on people in the country from district level to regional to help the government reveal people who engage in such types of crimes at this time when the nation prepares for October general election. In 2013, about 30,000 foreigners were arrested in te country alongside national aimed to seek for illegal immigrants in the country dubbed ‘Operation Kimbunga’ and charged with different counts for illegal stay in the country. The latest statistics by Immigration department shows that, in 2014 along about 7,468 foreigners from 47 countries in the world were arrested in connected with illegal stay in the country and among them 1910 came from Ethiopia, out of these 2,200 were taken to court and convicted of various offenses according to law. Among them 243 were convicted and fined and 367 jailed, while 560 of them were set free and over 600 have still their cases in court up to now. While among the list earlier arrested 2,600 were deported. From African countries, Ethiopians poses a great threat to illegal immigrants, and other countries are Burundi, Rwanda, DRC, Kenya and Uganda. Other countries are India, USA and German. World widely, there are 20.9 million victims of human trafficking and it is the world’s second largest criminal enterprise followed by illegal drug trafficking.

Two officials jailed over dubious purchase of cashew nut

The Nachingwea District Court in Ruvuma region on Friday this week sentenced to two years imprisonment two senior officials of a business association known as Naipanga AMCOS operating in the district after having found them guilty of misappropriation of Sh. 13.3 million, a property that belongs to members of the association. Those sentenced are the Association’s Chairman Salum Hamisi Tewa and the Chief Accountant Mustafa Suedi Kantelu, who jointly were charged for ghost purchase of cashew nut during the harvesting seasons of 2010/2011. The fraudulent charges were earlier opened under criminal case No. CC 66/2013 by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) district office before magistrate Joseph Cosmas Hemela.  The PCCB’s District Officer in-charge Moses Oguda said in a statement he issued yesterday that, “the accused were charged in the first count with intend to steal contrary to section 32 of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act No. 11/2007. Under this section, the magistrate has ordered the two accused to be fined each one with Sh. 500,000/- and failure for that would be sent to jail term of 24 months. In the second count, Oguda is quoted in statement as saying that, the two accused were charged with misappropriation of the association fund alongside showing ghost expenditure for the money spent for the purchase contrary to section 28 of the PCCB Act No. 11/2007. Under this section, the magistrate ordered the two accused to be fined each one with Sh. 600,000/- and failure for that would be sent to serve a 24 month jail term. 

The Director of Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) in Tanzania Dr,. Edward Hosea gestures as he talks to journalists not in the picture..

In addition to that, according to Oguda the court has also ordered the accused to refund the money they fraudulently spend of about Sh. 13,395,800/- within a couple of 12 months (one year) starting from the date of judgment. According to PCCB district officer in charge, the two accused totally failed to meet those conditions and have been sent to jail to serve their 24 months sentence. In another separate press statement, Oguda is quoted as saying that, the same court has sentenced the second accused of the case Mustafa Suedi Kantelu, who was charged in a different case at the court for misappropriating the association fund of Sh. 491,000/= in a case No.CC 92/2013 which was opened at the court by PCCB district office in 2013. The judgment is associated with ghost purchase of a wind screen of the car which belongs to the business association. The accused was sentenced to another two years imprisonment after the court had satisfactorily received sufficient evidences of the charges leveled against him. Either the court has ordered him to refund the money to his employer which he spend on a dubious purchase deal  as ruled by the magistrate contrary to section 22 of the PCCB Act No. 11/2007. The ruling has ordered the accused also to pay a fine of Sh. 500,000/-. Oguda noted in his statement that, the accused failed to meet the conditions as ruled by the court and was taken to jail to serve other two years concurrently.

Food director warns on quail eggs

THE Director of Food safety from Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA), Raymond Wigenge, has strongly warned business persons who engage in selling Quail eggs and lure people to use them on claims that are immune and capable of treating various diseases affecting people. Wigenge’s action comes about after this paper contacted him for a clarification following reports that were published in some flayers and billboards that people gets cured from various diseases such as HIV, Diabetes and many others after using quail eggs. Such flayers have been distributed widely and some people have confessed that had been successfully treated and becomes cured of the diseases from which the7y have been suffering after using such eggs. Suzan Lyimo who is residing at Sinza Kwa Remmy suburb on the outskirts of the Dar es Salaam city is engaged in selling the eggs each one at Sh. 2,000 and a quail chick at Sh. 6,500 where as one tray of quail eggs is fetched at Sh. 20,000. She has been in the forefront to incite people to use such eggs after having noticed of their quality which she said is good to treat such diseases. “If you eat one egg its quality is equivalent to one who consumes 6 normal eggs of a traditional hen”, she s aid and insisted that it was more imperative is one consumes it while is in a raw form. Apart from Suzan, some people have confirmed to this paper that, they have bought one tray of such eggs at a cost of between Sh. 30,000 and Sh. 40,.000 respectively. However, the Guardian managed to contact the Director Wigenge and noted that, these are words proclaimed by business people who look after the high profit margin of their business enterprises and nothing else. “You know these business people do lure people for the sake of making profit, and we food experts say that those eggs have some qualities just like other eggs and moreover are not capable of curing such diseases whatsoever”, he said. He added that people are ought to be careful enough and take precaution if possible due to the situation which could harm them and find spending lots of money for nothing. He gave an example and noted that in the past people engaged in baobab oil trading and lured many people that such oils were capable to treat various diseases whereas is not unless experts proves them are correct. He said there have been so many businesses which people use as a trick to lure their minds into accepting with their concepts in trading, where as it is not true that food can cure disease. Speaking about the food security in the country, he noted that about 2.2 million people die annually due to the facts that are not using proper foodstuffs.