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Ex-EAC workers plan march on State House
2005-07-09 07:36:47
By Lusekelo Philemon
Former employees of the defunct East African Community (EAC) have demanded 404bn/- in terminal benefits instead of the 50bn/- they have been promised by the government.
They said yesterday that they would march to State House at the end of this month if the government failed to give in to their demand.
Following the delayed disbursement of the money, the ex-EAC workers resolved yesterday to march to State House to press for their dues.
They gave the government up to end of this month to make good its pledge to settle their claims.
Speaking to The Guardian in Dar-es Salaam yesterday, the chairman of a committee formed by ex-EAC workers to follow up on their demands, Benjamin Mutembeyi, said the march is the only way of forcing the government to listen to their plight and hasten settlement of their dues.
’We are waiting for Treasury’s response before we take to the streets to press for our money,’ Mutembeyi said.
He said they would press for the payment of the dues before President Mkapa’s term expires at the end of this year.
He said President Mkapa is the only leader who has expressed the desire to settle their outstanding dues since the collapse of the former EAC in 1977.
’Mkapa is the only president who has shown some concern over our demands to be paid 404 bn/-. So we intend to go and see him before he leaves office this year,’ Mutembeyi said.
He said the 50 bn/- the government promised to pay them is only enough for 10,000 ex-EAC workers.
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