Mwakyembe to ease Tunduma truck flow.

From right: Trade and Industry minister Dr Abdallah Kigoda, Transport minister Dr Harrison Mwakyembe and Finance Minister Dr William Mgimwa with their host, Tanzania Truck Owners Association Chairman Seif Ali Seif, head to conference room at Ubungo Plaza in Dar es Salaam at the weekend where Dr Mwakyembe was chief guest to the TATOA annual general meeting. (Photo: Khalfan Said)

Transport Minister Dr Harrison Mwakyembe has assured members of the Tanzania Truck Owners Association (TATOA) that he will take action against the slow pace of truck movement at Tunduma border post.

He was responding to remarks made by TATOA chairman, Seif Ali Seif at the annual general meeting of the association held over the weekend in Dar es Salaam.

The TATOA chairman said, truck movement remained one of the major hurdles in the transport sector, saying: “Initially Tunduma border post was designed to serve approximately 40 to 50 trucks per day at that time, but currently more than 400 to 500 trucks are crossing that point daily,” noted Seif.

He further said trucks bound for Zambia and DRC spent more than six days to cross the border due to the heavy traffic and documentation procedures adding that, the infrastructure at Tunduma border post is outdated and overwhelmed by the influx of trucks.

Minister Mwakyembe, who was the chief guest said: “I have received your critical concern on truck dwell time at the border post. I promise that I will make a close follow up in collaboration with other parties to make sure this hitch is sorted out.”

On August 29, last year during the meeting between the minister for Trade and Industries, Dr Abdallah Kigoda and TATOA executive committee, the association proposed opening ten gates at Tunduma border point instead of the current single gate. “Among the 10 gates, we propose that two be for passengers, three for dangerous goods such as petroleum products which by their nature are not allowed to stay for long hours and the remaining five gates for containerized cargo,” TATOA told Dr Kigoda.

Meanwhile, Dr Mwakyembe has praised TATOA for being one of the leading players in the country’s economic development, noting that last year, a total of 40 million tons of cargo were transported, three million being transit cargo to or from the neighboring countries.

“Statistics show that there has been an increase of 400 percent of cargo transported to the neighboring countries from 2006 up to 2012. This achievement is the outcome of the good leadership of TATOA and they deserve member’s recognition and on behalf of the government I would like to congratulate you for your commendable leadership,” applaud Mwakyembe.

Dr Mwakyembe also had promised to take into consideration the stalemate request from TATOA, asking the government to hand over the Kihonda Driving Institute in Morogoro to be run by TATOA. “I have received by two hands your request to run Kihonda driving institute, I personally believe that, it is important to have competent drivers who have attended proper driving training, I will sit with your chairman to see what we can do and also to meet with the concern minister,” he said.

The minister for Industries and Trade Dr Abdallah Kigoda concurred with TATOA that the challenges facing the transport sector need an urgent intervention. “Surely these weighbridges and roadblocks are among the Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs). They should be reduced to increase efficiency and save time in transportation of goods,” he said

Dr Kigoda also advised TATOA to come up with cost-effective analysis if they want their proposal on the abolition of bothersome levies such as city service levy. “We need a win-win situation without harming any side. The government needs tax and you need profit,” he stressed.

For his part, the minister for Finance, Dr William Mgimwa praised TATOA, for their commendable role in the country’s economy. “Statistics show that, transport sector plays a pivotal role in providing employment for our people, as well as being a large contributor in taxes, ” he said.

According to Dr Mgimwa, the transport sector is very important in implementation of the economic development of the country and the government recognised the role of TATOA in this fact.

Meanwhile, TATOA general meeting has elected eight new members to serve as the executive committee,

According to TATOA’s constitution, the executive members have also re-elected the former chairman, Seif Ali Seif to the post, and Angelina Ngalula as the vice chairperson.

Other executive members include Zacharia Hans Pope, Elias Lukumay, Omar Kiponza, Alkarim Dawood, Alistair James and Ally Azim Dewji.