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Retirees: We served this country diligently
2008-03-30 09:46:47
By Lucas Lukumbo
John Kizito has just joined a contingent of nearly 20 East African Community retirees who are still waiting for their terminal benefits from their former employer.
From the experience of other retirees he will surely have to brave a year or two before he gets his terminal benefits.
Kizito comes from Mwanza where he retired from the community in the year 1981. He trained as a seaman and was therefore working with MV Victoria vessel in the Lake Victoria which plies between Mwanza, Musoma, Kisumu and Kampala.
As he was waiting for his terminal benefits in Mwanza some people advised him to travel to Dar es Salaam so that he could have a tete-a-tete with officials dealing with his benefits. It could be much easier to process his dues.
Born in January 1, 1920 at Muzuniga village in Mwanza, Kizito is perhaps the oldest man in the group of retirees.
His wife Rosa Mikepyoyo died way back in the year 1983 before enjoying the benefits.
He still has one daughter Elizabeth Kizito whom he says she could educate herself from the benefits. He himself has not attended any school.
He recalls one day when his vessel carrying a herd of 270 cattle nearly sank when a hurricane thrashed the vessel at Enkeremeke mountain, one of the Lake Victoria islets.
“That was August 1978. Three cows died during the commotion that followed but none of the crew was killed. We cheated death,” he said.
``I want to tell those authorities who are frustrating us with our payments that we have done much for this country, more than those who are manning the corporation now,`` he busted as his friends cheered.
``We still love this country and I think more than some of the leaders in this country.
It was we who provided food to the frontline when Tanzanian troops were fighting against ``Nduli Iddi Amin`` of Uganda.
``If we did not receive awards for helping in the war, at least the government should give us our retirement benefits,`` he lamented.
Another new comer, Ali Mohamed (64), has his tale also.
He retired in the year 1979 in Tanga and was a watchman in the defunct East African Community.
He says the Treasury was letting him down because all the necessary documents were sent there by his employer for processing the benefits.
``I do not know when this ordeal will end. I will, however, wait until the final day,`` he says.
Saidi Ruziga (63) has also joined forces in Dar es Salaam. He has come the whole way from Buhanda, Kigoma for his terminal benefits.
He was employed on May 1, 1967 and retired in 1977. He was a ganger man during his tenure of work.
``As a ganger man you traverse miles and miles along the railway line to see if the rails are still intact.
We have rescued many accidents which could have cost lives if we were not patriotic enough,`` he says.
``I really do not know why the government is inconsiderate of our plight. How would other workers who are doing the same work now feel if we are being treated this way?`` he asked.
The retirees still remember their friend Ramadhani Issa from Mwanza who was knocked down in a car accident in Dar es Salaam on February 2, this year at Mnazi Mmoja as he was battling with his terminal benefits.
``With such a psychological torture we are in, we are bound to be knocked down by cars in Dar es Salaam,`` Ali Mohamed Said.
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