MAOMBI YA MAREJEO NAMBA 16991 OF 2024 FRANK ZUBERI DHIDI YA NAKUROI INVESTMENT CO
The dispute was filed outside the statutory time limit as per the evidence on record, and the Commission was correct to dismiss the matter for want of jurisdiction. The applicant failed to prove the date of termination, and the preliminary objection on limitation was properly considered by the Commission.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- MAOMBI YA MAREJEO NAMBA 16991 OF 2024 FRANK ZUBERI DHIDI YA NAKUROI INVESTMENT CO
- Parties
- Mleta Maombi: Frank Zuberi; Mjibu Maombi: Nakuroi Investment Co. Ltd
- Court
- TANZLII
- Jurisdiction
- Tanzania
- Judgment Date
- 1 January 2024
- Procedural Posture
- Maombi Ya Marejeo / Hukumu Ya Mahakama Kuu Baada Ya Rufaa Dhidi Ya Uamuzi Wa Tume Ya Usuluhishi Na Uamuzi
- Outcome
- Shauri linatupiliwa mbali.
- Legal Topics
- Limitation Period for Filing Labour Disputes, Jurisdiction of Commission for Mediation and Arbitration, Preliminary Objections in Labour Disputes
- Source Language
- english
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Frank Zuberi
Mleta Maombi
Nakuroi Investment Co. Ltd
Mjibu Maombi
Procedural Posture
Maombi Ya Marejeo / Hukumu Ya Mahakama Kuu Baada Ya Rufaa Dhidi Ya Uamuzi Wa Tume Ya Usuluhishi Na Uamuzi
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the dispute was filed within the statutory time limit before the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration
- 2 Whether the preliminary objection on limitation required evidence or was a pure point of law
- 3 Whether the Commission was correct in dismissing the dispute for being time-barred
Ratio Decidendi
The dispute was filed outside the statutory time limit as per the evidence on record, and the Commission was correct to dismiss the matter for want of jurisdiction. The applicant failed to prove the date of termination, and the preliminary objection on limitation was properly considered by the Commission.
Court Disposition
Shauri linatupiliwa mbali.
Orders
- Maombi yametupiliwa mbali kwa kuwa yamewasilishwa nje ya muda uliowekwa kisheria.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
KATIKA MAHAKAMA KUU YA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA DIVISHENI YA KAZI DAR ES SALAAM MAOMBI YA MAREJEO NA. 16991 YA MWAKA 2024 KESI KUMBUKUMBU NA. 202407161000016991 FRANK ZUBER1............................................................. MLETA MAOMBI DHIDI YA NAKUROI INVESTMENT CO. LTD ................ .................. . MJIBU MAOMBI HUKUMU Tarehe ya Amri ya Mwisho: 02/ 09/2024 Tareheya Hukumu: 19/ 09/2024 MLYAMBINA, J. Katika shauri hili, Mleta Maombi anapinga maamuzi madogo yaliyotolewa na Tume ya Usuluhishi na Uamuzi (itajulikana kama Tume). Katika maamuzi hayo, Tume ilitupilia mbali shauri la Mleta Maombi kwa kigezo kuwa shauri hilo liliwasilishwa nje ya muda. Baada ya kutoridhishwa na maamuzi hayo, Mleta Maombi anaiomba Mahakama ipitie na kuona kama kweli ni halali au la. Katika kuendesha shauri hili, Mleta Maombi aliwakilishwa na Bw. Dennis Mwamkwala, Mwakiiishi Binafsi ilihali Bi. Asha Salumbo, Wakili wa Kujitegemea alimwakilisha Mjibu Maombi. Katika mawasilisho yake Bw. Mwamkwala alieleza kuwa, maombi haya yameungwa mkono na kiapo cha Frank Zuberi, hivyo Mleta Maombi aliomba kiapo hicho kiwe sehemu ya mawasilisho yake. Alieleza kuwa, Mleta Maombi alifungua mgogoro Tume tarehe 18/12/2023. Kwamba, hiyo ilikuwa baada ya kufukuzwa kazi tarehe 30/11/2023. Aliendelea kueleza kuwa, ili mgogoro ufunguliwe Tume ndani ya muda, unatakiwa ufunguliwe ndani ya siku 30. Hii ni kwa mjibu wa Kanuni ya 10 (1) ya Sheria ya Taasisi za Kazi (Kanuni za Usuiuhishi na Uamuzi) Tangazo ia Serikali Na. 64 la 2007 (itajulikana kama Tangazo la Serikali Na. 64/2007). Bw, Mwamkwala aliendelea kueleza kuwa, baada ya Mleta Maombi kupangiwa usuiuhishi, upande wa Wajibu Maombi walileta pingamizi kuwa mgogoro upo nje ya muda. Kwamba, wakati wa kujenga hoja ya mgogoro kuwa upo nje ya muda, Waleta pingamizi walijielekeza kwenye vielelezo badala ya sheria. Aliongeza kuwa, pamoja na jitihada zao kumwambia Msuluhishi kuwa hilo siyo pingamizi la kisheria kwa sababu halihitaji ushahidi, Msuluhishi alisema hapana anahitaji kuziona nyaraka. Kwamba, ukisoma uamuzi pingwa ukurasa wa 6, muamuzi alisema upande wa Waleta Maombi wameshindwa kuleta barua za kuachishwa kazi. Bw.Mwamkwala alifafanua kuwa, Mleta Maombi alifukuzwa kazi kwa mdomo na hata nyaraka alizozitumia Mwajiri ilikuwa ni nyaraka za Kampuni nyingine siyo Nakuroi. Nyaraka hizo zilihusu kukabidhiana mali kati ya Kampuni moja na nyingine. Hazikumuhusu Mleta Maombi na hata Tume kwenye ukurasa wa 6 ilisema hamna barua yoyote inayoonesha tarehe ya kufukuzwa kazi. Kwamba, pamoja na Msuluhishi kukiri kuwa mgogoro ulifunguliwa ndani ya muda, lakini kwenye ukurasa wa 6 anasema kwa kuwa hakuziona nyaraka, basi mgogoro upo nje ya muda. Mwakilishi alisisitiza kuwa, kwa upande wao wanaona kuwa suala la muda linahitaji vielelezo na sheria. It is not a pure point o f law' lina mambo mawili kwa pamoja. Kwenye Shauri la Shose Sinare v. Stanbic Bank Tanzania Limited and Another, Civil Appeal No. 89 of 2020, CAT at Dar es Salaam, p. 12 Mahakama iliamua ifuatavyo: What we can add is that for a preliminary objection to be successful, generally, it should not need support from evidence. Iliendelea kuelezwa kuwa Msuluhishi kwenye kufuta maombi, alihitaji ushahidi kwenye hatua ambayo siyo sehemu yake. Kwenye ukurasa wa 19, Mahakama ya Rufaa, ikirejea uamuzi wake kwenye kesi ya Mohamed Enterprises (T) Limited v. Masoud Mohamed Nasser, Civil Application No. 133 of 2012 ilisema: Where a preliminary objection raised contains more than a point of law, say law and facts, it must fail. Alieleza kuwa, kwakuwa ni msimamo wa Mahakama ya juu kabisa, kwamba pingamizi lijikite kwenye sheria, na kwa kuwa Msuluhishi aiikubaliana na pingamizi wakati anajua pingamizi hiio linahitaji ushaidi, hivyo alipaswa alifute na kesi iendelea kusikilizwa. Mwisho alimalizia kwa kuiomba Mahakama itupilie mbali maamuzi ya Tume na kuruhusu kesi iendeiee kusikilizwa. Akijibu hoja za Mleta Maombi, Wakili Salumbo naye aliomba kiapo kinzani cha Bw. Alexander Arcado Kayombo, Afisa Uajiri kuwa sehemu ya mawasilisho yake. Alieleza kuwa, Mleta Maombi amezungumzia suala la kufungua shauri tarehe 18/12/2023 na mgogoro ulitokea tarehe 30/11/2023. Katika kuyajibu hayo, alieleza kuwa Mjibu Maombi na Mleta Maombi hawana mahusiano ya kiajira kama ambavyo imeelezwa katika ukurasa wa 5 wa maamuzi. Wakili Salumbo aliongeza kuwa Mjibu Maombi aliomba Waleta Maombi kuegesha magari kwenye ofisi tarehe 30/10/2023 baada ya kutokuwa na mawasiliano na Kampuni ya Telex Transport Company Ltd ambapo, katika usikiiizwaji waliambatanisha mahusiano kati ya Nakuroi Investement Ltd na Telex Transport Company Ltd. Kwamba, mkataba waliowasilisha umeonesha wazi kuwa Mjibu Maombi hana mawasiliano na Mleta Maombi bali mahusiano yapo kati ya Telex Transport Comapny Ltd na Nakuroi Investment Ltd. Katika ushahidi wao, walizungumzia suaia la kipengele cha pili cha Mkataba ambacho kilisema: Mmiliki anampa gari mkodishaji kwa makubaliano ya kuwa yeye atahusika katika kutoa gari tu, maswala ya dereva na ujira wake yatashughulikiwa na mkodishaji wa gari husika. (katika mkataba huo Mjibu Maombi ametafsiriwa kama mmiliki ilihali Telex Transport Co. Ltd ametafsiriwa kama mkodishaji). Ilieleza na Wakili Saiumbo kuwa, Muamuzi alikuwa sahihi kwa kuzingatla sheria kama inavyoonesha wazi katika ukurasa wa 4 wa maamuzi husika. Wakili aliongeza kuwa Msuluhishi alijikita kwenye Kanuni ya 15 Tangazo la Serikaii Na. 64/2007 na Kesi ya Tanpack Tissues Ltd v. Alfred Musa, Revision No. 648 la 2024. Kwa mantiki hiyo na kutokupoteza muda wa Mahakama kwa mjibu wa kesi ya City Square Hotel Ltd v. Kassim Comprice, Revision No. 373 of 2022, ukurasa wa 15 aya ya mwisho iliyorejea Kesi ya St. Mary’s International Academy Ltd v. Hellen Ntinda, Application for Revision No. 37 of 2022, ilielezwa: ...It is encouraged those grounds of this nature be raised at the Court of first instance to avoid wastage of time to each party and wastage of resources spent in the relevant case. Hivyo basi, Wakili Salumbo aliomba maombi haya yatupiliwe mbali kwa kukosa mashiko. Katika hoja jazilizi Bw. Mwamkwala alisema kuwa, suala la kumshtaki mtu ambaye siyo sahihi, siyo hoja iliyopelekea kufukuzwa kwa shauri. Kilichopelekea kufutwa ni shauri kuwa nje ya muda. Kuhusu tarehe 30/10/2023, alisema kuwa ni makabidhiano ya Kampuni na Madereva. Hakuna nyaraka yoyote kuonesha hicho kitu. Aliongeza kuwa, Wakili amekiri kuwa muamuzi alijikita kwenye Ushahidi, hivyo aliomba maombi yao yakubaliwe. Mahakama imezingatia mawasilisho ya pande zote mbili, kumbukumbu za Tume na Mahakama pamoja na sheria mbalimbali na kuona kuwa, hoja ya msingi ya kutatua ni endapo shauri ffliwasilishwa Tume ndani ya muda. Bw. Mwamkwala ameeleza kwa kina kuwa Tume ilitakiwa kutupilia mbali pingamizi la muda kwakuwa pingamizi hilo halijajikita kwenye sheria bali lilihitaji zaidi ushahidi wa pande zote mbili. Mahakama hii inakubaliana na maamuzi katika kesi ya Shose Sinare (supra) kama ambavyo yamenukuliwa na Mwakilishi wa Mleta Maombi. Ni kweli pingamizi linatakiwa lijikite katika sheria na sio ushahidi jambo ambalo tayari limeshajadiliwa katika kesi mbalimbali ikiwa ni pamoja na kesi ya Mukisa Biscuit Manufacturing Company Limited v. West End Distributors Limited (1969) EA 696 at page 700 ambapo iliamuriwa ifuatavyo: A preliminary objection is in the nature of what used to be a demurrer. It raises a pure point of law which is argued on the assumption that all the facts pleaded by the other side are correct. It cannot be raised if any fact has to be ascertained or what is sought is the exercise of judicial discretion... Suala la muda wa kuwasilisha shauri mbele ya Tume lipo kisheria kama ambavyo limeelezwa katika Kifungu cha 10 cha Tangazo la serika/i Na. 64/2007. Kifungu tajwa kimeeleza wazi kuwa maombi yanayohusu ufukuzwaji kazi yatawasilishwa Tume ndani ya siku 30 ilihali maombi mengine ikiwa ni pamoja na kuvunjiwa mkataba yatawasilishwa ndani ya siku 60 tokea mgogoro ulipozuka. Vilevile, Kifungu cha 15 cha Tangazo /a Ser/kafi Aia. 64/2007 kinampa Msuluhishi mamlaka ya kujadili mamlaka ya Tume ya kusikiliza shauri husika kabla ya kuendelea kusuluhisha shauri MIiIowasi Iishwa mbele yake. Shauri linapowasilishwa nje ya muda uliowekwa kisheria Tume inakosa mamlaka ya kushughulikia shauri hilo mpaka pale Mleta Maombi atakapoomba nyongeza ya muda na kukubaliwa. Hivyo basi, ni vyema Tume au Mahakama ikajadiii mamlaka ya kushughulikia shauri lililowasilishwa mbele yake kabla ya kuendelea kutatua shauri hilo ili kuokoa muda wa Wadaawa. Hizo pia ni busara za Mahakama zilizotoiewa katika kesi ya Tanzania Revenue Authority v. Tango Transport Company LTD, Civil Appeal No. 84 of 2009 (unreported), the Court stated that: Jurisdiction is the bedrock on which the Court's authority and competence to entertain and decide matters rests. Vile vile, katika kesi rejewa ya Mukisa Biscuits, Mahakama ilitaja bayana masuala ya kisheria ambayo yanapaswa kuangaliwa ni Pamoja na mambo ya Mamlaka ya Mahakama 'jurisdiction', ukomo wa muda 'limitation' na masuala ya usuluhishi 'arbitration'. Hivyo basi, vifungu vya 10 na 15 tajwa vinaipa mamlaka Tume ya kusikiliza pingamizi husika hata kama pingamizi hilo lilikuwa linahitaji ushahidi. Hivyo basi, muamuzi alikuwa sahihi kuamua pingamizi hilo na Mleta Maombi alikuwa na jukumu la kuthibltisha tarehe ambapo mgogoro husika ulizuka. Tuklangalia CMA FI, Mleta Maombi ameeleza kuwa alifukuzwa kazi tarehe 30/11/2023 lakini alipotakiwa kutoa ushahidi wa kutosha wa kuthibitisha hilo alishindwa. Kwa upande wa Mjibu Maombi yeye alieleza wazi kuwa licha ya kuwa Mleta Maombi hakuwa Mwajiriwa wake lakini hata mkataba (uliopo mbele ya Tume) unaohusiana na mgogoro huu alioingia na kampuni iitwayo Telex Transport Co Ltd uliisha tarehe 30/10/2023. Ushahidi huo haukuweza kupingwa na Mleta Maombi. Hivyo basi, kwakuwa katika CMA FI mgogoro wa Mleta Maombi ulikuwa ni kuachishwa kazi isivyo halali na mgogoro huo uliwasilishwa zaidi ya siku 30 yaani tokea tarehe 30/10/2023 mgogoro ulipozuka, ni wazi kuwa mgogoro huo uliwasilishwa nje ya muda uliowekwa kisheria kama ambavyo nimekwisha eleza. Hivyo basi, Mahakama inaona kuwa shauri hili halina mantiki. Mgogoro uliwasilishwa Tume nje ya muda na Tume ilikua sahihi kuondoa mgogoro huu. Shauri hili linatupiliwa mbali. Imeamuriwa hivyo. Y. J. MLYAMBINA JAJI 19/09/2024 Hukumu hii imesomwa leo tarehe 19/09/2024 saa nane na robo mchana mbele ya Bw. Denis Mwamkwala-Mwakilishi Binafsi wa Mleta Maombi na Wakili Asha Salumbo kwa niaba ya Mjibu Maombi. Haki ya