Upcountry bus services resume

• Samia orders relevant ministries to jointly address drivers’ grievances

DAR ES SALAAM: DRIVERS’ leaders have agreed to suspend their countrywide strike following talks with Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, allowing passenger and freight transport services to resume.

The decision followed a meeting between the Prime Minister and leaders of bus and truck drivers in Dar es Salaam yesterday, after the industrial action disrupted transport services in several parts of the country for the past two days.

During the meeting with the drivers’ leaders, Prime Minister Nchemba assured them that the government was ready to listen to and address challenges facing drivers, with discussions expected to continue with relevant stakeholders to find lasting solutions to issues that triggered the strike.

Meanwhile, President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed relevant ministries and authorities to jointly address grievances raised by bus drivers following the strike.

Speaking at Mbezi Magufuli Bus Terminal in Dar es Salaam, Home Affairs Minister Patrobas Katambi said the government had received a report detailing drivers’ concerns, including the demerit points system, employment contracts, the Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), licence suspensions and poor road infrastructure.

Mr Katambi said cases involving suspended or cancelled licences would be reviewed according to the seriousness of the offences and applicable laws.

Licences revoked over serious offences, including drunk or negligent driving resulting in deaths, would not automatically be estored.

He promised that the government is also reviewing complaints about VTS records, traffic enforcement practices and fines, while exploring modern technology to improve speed monitoring and reduce disputes.

Katambi said the ministries responsible for Home Affairs, Transport, Construction and Labour would work together to address outstanding issues.

More than 85 intercity buses had resumed operations at the Magufuli Bus Terminal in Dar es Salaam by yesterday morning, with additional services expected to return during the evening, allowing hundreds of passengers to continue their journeys.

ALSO READ: Leaders of bus, truck drivers call off the two-day strike after talks with PM Nchemba

The gradual resumption followed government intervention after drivers stopped work over several concerns, including the demerit points system on driving licences, employment contracts, the Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), licence suspensions and poor road infrastructure.

Speaking at the terminal, Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA) Director of Communications, Mr Mustapha Mwalongo, said bus owners held a meeting late on Monday and contacted individual operators, urging them to persuade their drivers to resume services and minimise inconvenience to passengers.

“Many owners responded positively. By 8:00am, buses had started departing and so far about 85 buses have left. We expect more buses to continue leaving, particularly from 6:00pm when departures normally peak,” he said.

Mr Mwalongo said the terminal had the capacity to handle about 400 buses daily, with most long-distance services departing in the evening.

“We expect about 400 buses to leave today and many passengers to travel. I therefore want to inform passengers that the strike has ended,” he said.

He said drivers had presented about five major grievances, some of which had been addressed by the Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Patrobas Katambi, while others required legal and policy reviews involving other ministries.

“The minister announced the suspension of regulations related to the deduction of points from driving licences pending further review and directed drivers whose licences had been suspended or who had lost points to report to his office for procedures to restore their licences,” he said.

In Arusha, TABOA Secretary, Mr Benedict Mberesero, popularly known as Ben Kimotco, said passenger transport services were operating normally despite disruptions reported in other regions.

Mr Mberesero said buses operating on the ArushaMbeya, Arusha-Kigoma, Arusha-Iringa, ArushaMwanza, Arusha-Dar es Salaam and Arusha-Tabora routes had continued operating normally, with passengers travelling without major difficulties.

He said the situation in Arusha remained calm and passengers who had purchased tickets on Monday and yesterday were receiving services as usual.

Mr Mberesero said his company had continued transporting passengers to different parts of the country.

“We have no strike here. As you can see, passengers are buying tickets and others are travelling. Work is continuing,” he said.

Passengers who resumed their journeys said the disruption had caused financial losses, delays and changes to important plans after they were forced to spend additional nights in Dar es Salaam.