Deputy Transport Minister Nancy Chaola Mdooko on Friday failed to convince truck drivers to postpone their demonstrations slated for April 26.
The drivers plan to hold protests on Monday over poor working conditions and influx of foreign drivers.
On Friday, Deputy Minister of Transport Nancy Chaola Mdooko met the drivers where she asked them to delay their protests to allow the ministry address their concerns but the driver rebuffed her.
“I pleaded with them to give my ministry time (1 week) to liaise with other ministries and come up with a work plan and a new taskforce to drive the same but the drivers stuck to their guns for demonstrations on Monday 26 April,” said Mdooko in a Facebook post last night.
She added that her ministry is working around the clock to find means to resolve the standoff amicably and reach an agreement.
In November last year, truck drivers closed Mwanza border in protest against low pay and passport fees.
The border was reopened after Government agreed to raise the drivers’ minimum wage to K140,000.
The drivers, under the Professional Drivers Union and Truck Drivers Association umbrella, say they are not being paid the agreed wage and the passport fees was not reduced to K60,000 as agreed.
Secretary General for the Professional Drivers Union Mphatso Mollen told the local media last week that they want authorities to address the issues agreed in November.
