By REBECCA MUSHOTA –

NEW Tanzanian Minister of Transport Samuel Sitta has asked Tanzania Zambia Railways (TAZARA) workers to give him two months to sort out the problems at the institution that include unpaid three months salaries.
Mr Sitta said when he addressed management and unionised workers at the TAZARA head office in Dar-es-Salaam on Tuesday that workers should give him some time to find solutions to the problems in the institution.
According to a statement released by TAZARA public relations unit, Mr Sitta said he believed that TAZARA had the capacity to resolve its issues permanently.
Mr Sitta said it was unacceptable that an institution of TAZARA’s size failed to perform and pay its employees’ salaries when there were huge volumes of freight that was abundantly available in Tanzania, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries in the region.
He was aware that there were millions of tonnes of cargo waiting to be moved by TAZARA and there were companies that were eager to move their freight on the railway.
“We have this very beautiful facility which should be working and yet it is not. We are being made to look disorganised.
“As a result, our two governments even have to pay employees’ salaries! Tanzania and Zambia should be receiving dividends, but it’s the other way round. I am determined to correct this. That is why I have come here,” Mr Sitta said.
TAZARA workers have in the recent past withdrawn their labour several times demanding for unpaid salaries.