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Passengers stranded in Tanzania after bus drivers go on strike

Xinhua, April 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

Bus drivers across Tanzania on Friday went on strike, bringing the east African nation to a standstill as tens of hundreds of passengers were stranded at bus stations.

Passengers who were expected to travel from the commercial capital Dar es Salaam to various parts of upcountry regions and vice versa tried desperately to look for other means of transport to reach their destinations but in vain.

The Minister for Labor and Employment Gaudensia Kabaka on Thursday warned the drivers against the strike, saying the government will address their grievances.

The minister promised swift action to sort out obstacles raised by the drivers, including new regulations on speed and license renewal.

The drivers were opposed to a new set of regulations limiting the speed of upcountry buses to 80 km per hour and the demand for a mandatory driving course for all those renewing their licenses.

The move came following concern over frequent road accidents that kill innocent Tanzanians. An average of 4,000 people perish countrywide annually due to road accidents.

Stranded passengers said the situation has dealt them a big blow as they failed to travel at scheduled time.

"We don't know what to do. We are really suffering. We are asking responsible authorities to sort out ways of ending this strike soon before it gets out of hand," said Joseph Wambura, a passenger who was scheduled to travel from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Xinhua learnt late in the afternoon that the drivers resumed work after the government bowed to their demands during a meeting held in Dar es Salaam. Endi