Trade Union Congress of Tanzania Council members join hands as they sing Solidarity Forever during their meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday. PHOTO | SALIM SHAO
What you need to know:
Last year, the government proposed amendments to the HESLB Act and proposed for the deductions to be raised from eight to 15 per cent of the beneficiaries’ salaries. The amendments were passed by the National Assembly and are currently in force.
Dar es Salaam. Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (Tucta) president Tumaini Nyamkhomya yesterday said they planned to file a suit against the government for increasing monthly deductions from beneficiaries of the Higher Education Students Loans Board (HESLB).
Last year, the government proposed amendments to the HESLB Act and proposed for the deductions to be raised from eight to 15 per cent of the beneficiaries’ salaries. The amendments were passed by the National Assembly and are currently in force.
Tucta is of the view that the changes are null and void since the beneficiaries signed a contract with the board so that they would be deducted eight per cent from their salaries.
Mr Nyamkhomya told reporters that they were finalising legal procedures and anytime from next week they will take the government to court over the matter. “Tucta advocates are making final touches on legal documents and hopefully by next week we will take the government to court over breach of contracts,” he said.
According to him, Tucta wants the government to respect the contract, which indicates an 8 per cent-loan deduction, and most importantly, the beneficiaries were not involved in making amendments.
“We have been receiving complaints from workers on the matter. All that we want is for the court to overturn the move. If the government wants to increase the deductions, then it should start with continuing students,” he said.
