Hope as Tanzania finally compels bus, truck owners to issue drivers with work contracts

Dodoma. The government will issue a statement on drivers’ jobs, almost four years since the latter’s (drivers’) yearning for working contracts from their employers led to a strike that paralysed transport in most parts of Tanzania.

In April 2015, commuter and upcountry bus drivers paralysed transport when they held a strike in protest to a government directive that wanted them to go back to class whenever they wanted to renew their driving licenses.

The drivers also wanted the government to prevail over bus owners and ensure that they provide them with quality working contracts.

The issue came up in Parliament on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 when the deputy Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the Disabled), Mr Anthony Mavunde said the government will issue a statement - on any day before July 1, 2019 – regarding drivers’ jobs.

“Truck owners have been openly told that whenever they apply for a license at Sumatra [the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority], they should go with drivers’ contracts. Within two days, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office will issue an update on what has happened so far. Every driver is required to have a work contract,” he said.

He was responding to a question from Mr Frank Mwakajoka (Tunduma-Chadema) who wanted the government’s take on the issue, saying drivers were still complaining that most of them worth without being issued with contracts by their employers.