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Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda disembarks from a new rail wagon after inspecting it at Dar es Salaam port yesterdayt. Left is Transport minister Harrison Mwakyembe. PHOTO | SALIM SHAO
By The Citizen Correspondent
Dar es Salaam. Minister for Transport Harrison Mwakyembe has revoked some contracts between Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL) and companies that were supplying services to the state-owned company, citing irregularities and underperformance.
The minister further ordered that TRL deputy managing director and the chief of finance be suspended to pave the way for investigations into their conduct.
Dr Mwakyembe also ordered authorities at the TRL to disband the tender board including suspending all officials who travelled to India to assess 25 wagons that were later proved to be of low standard.
He made the decision during a meeting with TRL staff that was held in Dar es Salaam yesterday following persistent complaints from workers regarding low salaries which they described as peanuts.
Last week, workers demanded that the minimum salary be raised to Sh300,000 per month and the management should be removed for abuse of office. The proposals were part of workers’ demands submitted to Dr Mwakyembe by their representative, Mr Malima Bundara.
The demands came as part of the workers’ investigative report on pay rise, review of management performance and company projects.
Other areas the report addressed include: repair of spare parts, policy review on injuries at work. Dr Mwakyembe said the ministry would issue a statement on December 6, on the workers’ demands and suggestions.
On November 19, TRL received wagons worth Sh8.3 billion from an Indian company. But few days thereafter, it transpired that they were of low standards, a move that prompted the no-nonsense minister to suspend all officials who travelled to India to assess them.
The minister’s decision came barely a day after he received 72 wagons for commuter and cargo trains.
Yesterday, Dr Mwakyembe issued a directive to TRL Board of Directors to the effect that it furnishes him with a detailed report on how 25 wagons were purchased.
“I want a thorough investigation on how the process was carried out, but all these officials who went to India should be suspended to pave the way for investigations until they are cleared of wrongdoing,’’ he said.
Contracts that the minister ordered revoked include that of TRL and Trans Roads which deal with cargo delivery and that of R & A, which was sealed to facilitate railway maintenance as well as internal communication. He also ordered that the food tenderer at Itigi Primary School also be shown the door because of poor services.
“ I want the board to travel to Itigi and tell me what steps it has taken against this tenderer because he indicated in his report that he is supplying food at the school but in actual fact there is no such a service,’’ he charged.
Dr Mwakyembe said his ministry realised that there were a few officials at TRL who benefited personally from the contracts.
“I was informed that some of them are doing private business…I will be back here next week to sack whoever will be found to be involved in such deals,’’ he added.
Dr Mwakyembe was forced to form the probe team when TRL workers staged a boycott on October 29 to protest failure of the management to pay them salaries and arrears since July.
Earlier last week, the team which was led by Dr Malima Bundara handed over their report to the minister.
The minister promised workers during the handover ceremony that he and his assistant would go through the report for one week before making a decision.
The minister also urged the workers, who are yet to be paid their November salary, to stay calm as the new finance manager was working on the matter.
“I heard that you haven’t been paid your salaries since the finance manager was angry because you reported your grievances to me; I have already decided to suspend him (Mr Jasper Kisiraga) and replace him with Mr Mbaraka Mchopa pending the board’s deliberation,” said the minister.
Dr Mwakyembe directed Mr Mchopa to make sure TRL workers receive salaries and other payments on time.
The minister also introduced the new Railways police commander, Mr Simon Chillery.
He urged Mr Chillery to make sure all gangs that have been carrying out criminal activities in Ngaruka in Kigoma and Mabamba in Tabora are eliminated once and for all.
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