TAZARA work stoppage averted
…as government releases money for salary arrears
GOVERNMENT has released money for payment of salary arrears for Tanzania and Zambia Railway Authority ( TAZARA), averting a possible work stoppage.
The Ministry of Transport and Logistics stated in a statement it has secured funding for the salary arrears that were pending and owed to TAZARA workers.
This follows the directive by President Hakainde Hichilema that all challenges affecting the smooth operations at the rail company be resolved.
The workers on the Zambian side had threatened to go on strike, following management’s failure to pay them salaries for the last five months, despite the government through Transport and Logistics Minister, Frank Tayali, having promised to do so when he addressed them last month.
Government has also sourced for $1.9 million for the repair works on the damaged Chambeshi railway bridge and a $1.5 million for the repairing of the Bombwe Bridge on the Mulobezi railway line.
And Mr Tayali has thanked workers at TAZARA for their maturity and patience.
He said the securing of funds for offsetting salaries arrears will bring relief to the workers who have endured so much suffering for a very long time.
Mr Tayali also said, having secured funds for the repairing of the Chambeshi Bridge, TAZARA should now normalise operations at the railway company without delay.
And Kapiri Mposhi Member of Parliament Stanley Kakubo has thanked the government for releasing funds for paying TAZARA workers’ salaries arrears.
He said gone are the days when TAZARA workers only got their dues after pressuring government.
Mr Kakubo said President Hichilema and his Government believe in the rights of workers and that under the new administration, every one doing a decent and honest job will be rewarded.