Tanzania: End port chaos, government directs agencies

The government yesterday intervened in finding a solution to the congestion of lorries at the Dar es Salaam port, with Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa directing Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to work on the challenges once and for all.

Mr Majaliwa visited Dar es Salaam port following information making the rounds in various social media platforms showing that congestion of lorries at the country’s main sea gateway was so intense that lorries queued for up to four days before they reach cargo loading and discharging points.

Mr Majaliwa arrived at the port yesterday and started interviewing TRA and TPA officials as well as some drivers on the authenticity of the complaints.

A driver from Burundi, Mr Issa Kubwayo, said one of the challenges that they face at Dar es Salaam port is that the Tancis system is mostly down.

The Tancis - Tanzania Customs Integrated System - is one that facilitates real-time monitoring of cargo, from its arrival in port to clearance out of the port. It is via the Tancis that importers upload a document for clearance from the port.

“We mostly face challenges during the weekend when the system is mostly down,” Kubwayo said.

The TPA Director General, Mr Erick Hamis, conceded that the challenge had indeed happened, saying it was caused by a recurrent failure of the Tancis - stressing, however vehicles were being cleared within 24 hours.

He said the ongoing challenge was caused by a rise in goods arriving at the port, coupled with the ongoing expansion work at the port.

“About 40 percent of the port area is currently being used for the ongoing port expansion work plus renovation of the road linking the port to the mainland,” he said. TRA Commissioner General Alphayo Kidata said there were indeed some challenges with the Tancis system. However, he said, these are being worked on.

In his remarks, Mr Majaliwa told the two [TRA and TPA] to work in cooperation on the challenges.

“You need to find an immediate solution to the challenges…

“When the TRA system fails, it creates challenges at TPA and TICTS [Tanzania International Container Terminal Services]. You need to talk with one voice.

“Several countries depend on us, so you need to be on the up-and-up,” he said.

The issue regarding congestion of lorries heading to Dar es Salaam port became the subject of discussion in Parliament yesterday when lawmakers temporarily suspend some of the day’s business and deliberate on the situation at the port.

It was the Mafinga Constituency MP, Cosato Chumi (CCM) who demanded that Parliament suspends its usual activities and debate the issue as a matter of urgency.

Mr Chumi said the congestion was tarnishing Dar es Salaam port which has to compete with ports in neighbouring states - and this has a negative economic effect.

“This is because some of the cargo has to be transported to neighboring landlocked countries - and equipment for strategic projects like the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project and the Standard Gauge Railway,” he said.

But, as the seven parliamentarians debated the motion, the Prime Minister’s Office minister for Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the Disabled, Ms Jenista Mhagama, told Parliament that Prime Minister Mjaliwa had travelled to Dar es Salaam to resolve the impasse.

“The MPs should give time to the government to work on the matter. Only after the Prime Minister has worked on the matter we will be in a position to know what exactly transpired,” she said.

Earlier, debating the motion, MPs - including Special Seats MP Sophia Mwakagenda (Chadema), Mlimba Constituency legislator Godwin Kunambi and Special Seats lawmaker Esther Matiko (Chadema) - blamed the ports’ leadership, saying there was a smell of possible abotage.

“Why didn’t the Ports leadership provide reports on what is happening at the Dar es Salaam Port? Should we believe that it is sabotage at the Dar es Salaam Port? This demands thorough investigation of the country’s intelligence services to uncover the core problem,” said Ms Mwakagenda.

For his part, Mr Kunambi said “the problem facing the Dar es Salaam Port is a serious lack of patriotism among our officers.

If there is someone acting in port leadership positions, I’m afraid to say they have seriously failed to perform their duties.

“If a public institution or official fails to perform, then something is seriously wrong with those who are heading the institution, because there is something called institutional behavior at the center of all this.

“The solution is to immediately remove the institution’s head,” he added, saying comprehensive government explanation was required.

Ms Matiko said delays in off-loading cargo leads to growing inflation as well as threatening to lose some of the clients to the ports in neighboring countries.

For his part, the Nkenge Constituency MP, Florent Kyombo, said his constituency was significantly affected by absence of trucks passing through the area, saying they directly contribute to the economy by sleeping in guest houses located in the area, as well as purchasing goods from the locals.