TAZARA workers paralyse operations

PARLIAMENT yesterday heard that TAZARA workers have gone on strike for more than 24 hours crippling the railway line from Kapiri Mposhi to Nakonde over nonpayment of salaries.

UPND Kapiri Mposhi Member of Parliament Stanley Kakubo rose on a point of order while Mapatizya UPND MP Clive Miyanda was on the floor of the House debating the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Budget for 2018.

Mr Kakubo questioned the silence of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and Transport and Communications on the matter when they were aware of the situation.

Mr Kakubo said he found it unprocedural that the two responsible ministries had not informed the House on the matter. The lawmaker said many TAZARA workers had visited his office and complained about being impoverished while others informed him that they had failed to pay examination fees for their children.

“The workers of TAZARA have been on strike for more than 24 hours now, the train has been grounded the whole stretch from Kapiri up to Nakonde is non operational as I speak I have got workers at my office from TAZARA with a lot of complaints,” he said.

First Deputy Speaker Catherine Namugala in her ruling urged Mr Kakubo to immediately go to the legal and journal department and file a question for urgent answer.

“My ruling is that the Honourable Member for Kapiri Mposhi should immediately go to the legal and journal department and file a question for urgent answer,” Ms Namugala said.

Ms Namugala assured the MP that the question would be on the order paper within the next 48 hours and that it would be attended to.