Latra overhaul in the making says Government

Dar es Salaam. Works and Transport Makame Mbarawa said yesterday the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (Latra) would be overhauled.

Prof Mbarawa made the remarks when he spoke at a meeting organised by lorry drivers, which was also attended by two other ministers.

He said changes were necessary since many stakeholders had been complaining about the way the authority was executing its mandate to an extent that some had branded it a “ghost institution”.

“I’m not ready to see it (Latra) continue being referred to as a ‘ghost institution’. We expect to make changes soon in order to restore its functionality, and maintain the public’s trust,” Prof Mbarawa added.

During the meeting, lorry drivers were given an opportunity to voice their concerns, and speak about challenges they encounter in their work.

Many said the Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), which is used to monitor speed, is partly to blame for road accidents occurring in Tanzania.

Responding to the complaint, Prof Mbarawa said, “This is not the first time I’m hearing this, and I have asked lorry owners to revert to the old speed monitoring system if possible.”

The drivers also spoke about the difficulty in securing proper employment contracts with lorry owners, and the “blatant” violation of their basic rights.

They said there were some companies that had not paid drivers their salaries for more than three years.

The drivers added that their grievances had been ignored for many years because many government officials owned stakes in shipping companies.

A driver who identified himself as Jumanne Subaru, and who told the meeting that he had been driving lorries between Tanzania and Zambia for 42 years, said they first voiced their complaints in 2008, “but nothing has been done”, and a nationwide drivers’ strike was now the only option.

“We call on the owners and shareholders of these companies to be considerate, and meet their contractual obligations because we also have families that depend on us. We love our country, but the suffering we are being subjected to makes our lives very miserable,” he said.

Mr David Zuberi said even the small number of drivers who receive salaries are paid “peanuts” compared to the work they do.

He added that most drivers assigned to transport fuel outside the country had “vague” contracts, and were held responsible whenever cargo was lost.

“We are paid only Sh200,000 every month, but you are required to transport cargo worth in excess of Sh3 million, and if the load is lost, you are liable,” he said.

Mr Said Mashango said because of poor pay, some drivers were involved in criminal activities, including smuggling cosmetics, weapons, and illegal immigrants so that they could adequately cater for their families.

“We urge the government to look into this matter as a matter of urgency. This work plays a crucial role in our economy, but drivers are in a hopeless situation because they are viewed as nobodies,” he said.

Mr Mashango said many Tanzanian drivers were also losing their lives outside the country, but the government was indifferent to their plight.

“It frightens us to see that nobody cares about us, or our welfare despite our being legitimate citizens of this country,” he said

Mr Mashango added that lorry drivers were not recognised as a group, and called for the review of the relevant laws and regulations.

Mr Schubert Mbakizao, chairman of the Tanzania Drivers Workers Union (Tadwu), urged the government to be more involved in the transport sector instead of leaving it entirely in the hands of the private sector.

“There has been so much harassment, and employers are no longer willing to listen to employees,” he said.