Minister demotes Warehouse Receipt Regulatory Board director

Industry, Trade and Investment minister Joseph Kakunda. Photo|File

What you need to know:

  • Industry, Trade and Investment minister Joseph Kakunda has demoted the managing director of the Warehouse Receipt Regulatory Board for failure to improve the Warehouse Receipt System in the country causing deterioration of cashews trading and prices.

Dar es Salaam. Industry, Trade and Investment minister Joseph Kakunda has demoted Mr Augustino Mbulumi who was the managing director of the Warehouse Receipts Regulatory Board (WRRB).

A statement issued on Thursday, November 15, 2018 by the communications department in the ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, said Mr Kakunda made the decision while touring Lindi and Mtwara regions.

“During the visit, he witnessed poor efficiency of the Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) that has contributed to deterioration of cashews business and prices,” reads part of the statement.

It adds: “He was also satisfied that poor efficiency was because of poor performance, negligency and poor supervision of the WRS system in the country.”

The statement says Mr Mbulumi would be assigned other duties, insisting that the decision was made according to powers vested to the minister.

According to the statement, Mr Kakunda made the decision according to Section 7 of the Warehouses Receipt Act of 2005 and subsequent amendments made in 2016.

The decision comes after a similar move made on Wednesday when Mr Kakunda demoted the director for development of industries, Mr Isaac Legonda.

Mr Kakunda was appointed by President John Magufuli to replace Mr Charles Mwijage who was sacked alongside his Agriculture counterpart Charles Tizeba in a mini-cabinet reshuffle.

The Head of State made the decision after the duo failed to supervise cashews trading and promote industrial growth in Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Coast and Tanga regions.