Tazara workers demand over 3 months salary

 Allege company threats against complains
At least 2,000 workers of the troubled Tanzania and Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) have allegedly not been paid their salaries for more than three months now and fear company retribution should they complain.

On a strict confidentiality agreement, a few of the workers agreed to give The Guardian an exclusive interview over the weekend.

 “We have not been paid salaries for the months of August, September and October, and we do not expect that salaries for November will be paid on time,” lamented an employee.

“We are living in tough conditions but we cannot complain openly since doing so may lead to termination of work contracts…like as 27 workers from Mbeya Region,” the source lamented.

Another employee said life without their salaries has been unbearable and that worse is the fact that there is no certainty of when they are going to be paid.

“I am not sure when Tazara will pay us…I have a family that relies on me and I cannot provide for them...it would be better if the management could pay our salaries as soon as possible,” he pleaded.

Yet another employee called on the government to intervene and ‘take quick and decisive measures to rescue the situation’ he said.

“Sometimes it is hard even to get bus fare from my residence to the office,” lamented the employee of the state owned and run railway monopoly Tazara.
“We are compelled to falter on our family responsibilities due to this…misunderstandings between wives and husbands are growing…who will believe that one has not been paid for three months yet they continue to report for work,” he said.

Contacted for comments, Tazara Head of public relations Conrad Simuchile confirmed that ‘the workers have not been paid their salaries for the past few months.’

“Don’t ask me about salaries, the issue is known and it’s no longer news,” said the irate PR officer and ended the interview.

Contrary to this turn of events, back in October of last year, Tazara Managing Director Ronald Phiri, described the firm’s future as very bright and promising.

Phiri made the assertion to a delegation of officials from China that visited the railway authorities to check on progress of projects financed by China through the 14th and 15th Protocols on Economic and Technical Co-operation.

He said he had a lot of hope and confidence that given appropriate equipment and financial support Tazara would achieve the desired transformation.

“Personally, I have a lot of hope because I meet many potential customers and companies who express strong desire to completely do away with road transportation and move to rail transportation, which is a strong indication of the potential market for Tazara,” he was quoted saying.

However, there have been persistent pay issues and only in June this year workers laid down tools for at least two weeks bringing businesses almost to a stand still.