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Tanzania Judgment

TANZLII

edward l mmbaga dhidi ya fmj hardware ltd 2022 tzhcld 1114 13 disemba 2022

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01

Holding and result

The court held that the governing contract was the fixed-term contract commencing 01.09.2020 and expiring 31.08.2021. The applicant was notified in advance of non-renewal, and the contract ended by effluxion of time, not by unlawful termination. Preliminary statements were not evidence as per the law. The application for revision lacked merit and was dismissed.

Court disposition

Application dismissed

Orders

  • Application for revision is dismissed
  • Each party to bear its own costs

02

Material facts

Parties

Edward L. Mmbaga

Applicant Counsel: Deo Ukani Ngusaru

FMJ Hardware Ltd

Respondent Counsel: Edwin Somoka Nkalani

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Labour Revision / Judgment on Application for Revision of Arbitration Award

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
The applicant argued that the arbitrator erred in law by disregarding crucial evidence, failing to consider the initial employment contract and preliminary statements, and relying on a forged contract submitted by the respondent. The applicant maintained he was employed as a procurement manager from 06.04.2020 to 05.04.2021 and that his contract was unlawfully terminated.
Respondent
The respondent argued that the document relied upon by the applicant was merely an offer of employment, not a binding contract, and that the valid contract was the one commencing 01.09.2020 for one year. The respondent further contended that there was no evidence of forgery and that the contract expired by effluxion of time, with proper notice given to the applicant.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Rule 24(2) of Labour Institutions (Mediation and Arbitration Guidelines) GN No. 67/2007

    Preliminary statements are not evidence unless both parties agree or they are proved by evidence.

  2. 02

    Rule 4(2) of Employment and Labour Relations (Code of Good Practice) GN No. 42/2007

    A fixed-term employment contract terminates automatically upon expiry of its term.

  3. 03

    General contract law principles, as referenced in the judgment

    Offer of employment is not a binding employment contract until signed.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The court held that the governing contract was the fixed-term contract commencing 01.09.2020 and expiring 31.08.2021. The applicant was notified in advance of non-renewal, and the contract ended by effluxion of time, not by unlawful termination. Preliminary statements were not evidence as per the law. The application for revision lacked merit and was dismissed.

Obiter and limits

  • Each party to bear its own costs as this is a labour dispute.

Court disposition

Application dismissed

  • Application for revision is dismissed
  • Each party to bear its own costs

Source and reliance status

TANZLII · 1 January 2022

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Judgment text

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Source document

TANZLII

Judgment· 1 January 2022

edward l mmbaga dhidi ya fmj hardware ltd 2022 tzhcld 1114 13 disemba 2022

MAHAKAMA KUU YA TANZANIA

DIVISHENI YA KAZI

PAR ES SALAAM MAREJEO NA. 241 YA 2022 EDWARD L. MMBAGA.......................................MLETA MAOMBI

DHIDI YA FMJ HARDWARE LTD........................................ MJIBU MAOMBI (Kutokana na Uamuzi wa Tume ya Usuluhishi na Uamuzi Kanda ya DSM -1lala) (Chacha: Muamuzi) Tarehe 30.05.2022 Katika CMA/DSM/ILA/424/21/166/21

HUKUMU 03.10 & 13.12.2022 Rwizile, J Haya ni maombi ya marejeo. Mleta maombi anaomba Mahakama, kuitisha, kupitia na kutengua uamuzi wa Tume ya Usuluhishi na Uamuzi (Tume) uliotolewa tarehe 30.05.2022. x O Maelezo ya mgogoro huu kwa ufupi ni kwamba, Mleta maombi aliajiriwa na mjibu maombi kama meneja mauzo kwa mkataba wa mwaka mmoja. Hata hivyo, mkataba huo ulisitishwa tarehe 29.07.2021, kwa kile kilichoelezwa ni kufika ukomo. i Mleta maombi hakuridhika na uamuzi wa mwajiri na akafungua shauri mbele ya Tume akidai kuvunjwa makataba wake. Baada ya Tume kusikiliza pande zote mbili, iliona mgogoro wake haukuwa na mashiko, hivyo ikaufukuza. Mleta maombi hata hivyo hakuridhika, akaamua kufungua maombi haya ya marejeo. Katika maombi yake ameeleza sababu zake kama ifuatavyo: - /. Kwamba, mwamuzi alijiongoza vibaya kisheria kwa kushindwa kuzingatia mambo muhimu yaiiyojitokeza kwenye ushahidi uliotolewa na upande wa mlalamikaji na mlalamikiwa hakuupinga. ii. Kwamba, mwamuzi alijiongoza vibaya kisheria kwa kutozingatia maeiezo ya awaii ya mleta maombi, ambapo mjibu maombi aiikubaiiana na maeiezo ya awaii ya mleta maombi kuwa mleta maombi aiiajiriwa kama meneja manunuzi kuanzia 06.04.2020 by-: mpaka 05.04.021. Hi. Kwamba, mwamuzi alijiongoza vibaya kisheria kwa kutozingatia mkataba wa ajira wa mlalamikaji ambao upo kwenye maeiezo ya awaii ya mieta maombi, ambao mjibu maombi aiiukubaii

kwenye maeiezo yake ya awaii, Ha mwamuzi aiijikita kwenye mkataba wa kufoji ambao uiikuwepo kwenye mioiongo wa nyaraka za 2 nyongeza za mjibu maombi ambazo hazikuwepo kwenye maelezo ya awali ya mlalamikiwa. iv. Kwamba, mwamuzi alijiongoza vibaya kisheria kwa kukubali ushahidi wa Dwl katika ukurasa 3, aya ya mwisho nakusema kwamba mlalamikaji aliajiriwa kama wakala, kinyume na kwamba mjibu maombi kwenye maeiezo yake ya awali aiikubaii kuwa mlalamikaji aliajiriwa kama meneja manunuzi. v. Kwamba, mwamuzi alijiongoza vibaya kwa kuandika ushahidi wake binafsi wakutengeneza dhidi ya malalmikaji katika ukurasa wa 5 aya 2 ya Tuzo kwamba mkataba wa Pwl unaishia 31.08.2021 Hi kuhalalisha mkataba feki wa mlalamikiwa ambao uiikuwa kwenye mlolongo wa nyaraka za nyongeza za mlalamikiwa. vi. Kwamba, mwamuzi aiitoa Tuzo isiyokuwa ya haki biia kuzingatia kuwa mlalamikiwa aiivunja mkataba wa ajira wa mlalamikaji biia ■ kufuata sheria. Kila upande uliwakilishwa na mawakili wasomi. Mleta maombi aliwakilishwa na Bwana Deo Ukani Ngusaru na mjibu maombi aliwakilisha na Bwana Edwin Somoka Nkalani. 3 Katika mawasilisho yake, wakili wa mleta maombi Bwana Ngusaru alieleza kuwa mleta maombi aliajiriwa kwa mkataba wa mwaka mmoja kuanzia tarehe 06.04.2020 hadi 05.04.2021 (kielelezo Pl). Aliendelea kueleza kuwa mjibu maombi katika maelezo yake ya awali alikubalia ajira ya mleta maombi lakini baadae

alifikisha mkataba mwingine unaoonyesha kuwa mleta maombi aliajiriwa tarehe 01.09.2020 kwa mwaka mmoja uliotakiwa kuisha tarehe 31.08.2021 (kielelezo DI). Alisema kuwa Tume iliukataa mkataba wa mleta maombi biia ya sababu na haikuuzingatia. Akaeleza zaidi kuwa mleta maombi alifanya kazi kwa mjibu maombi zaidi ya miezi minne hadi tarehe 29.07.2021 alipoachishwa kazi. Kwa mtazamo wake mkataba wa mleta maombi ulihuishwa kwa kipindi hicho na uthibitisho ni malipo yake ya mshahara (vielelezo P2 na P3). Bwana Ngusaru alisema, mjibu maombi alieleza kuwa aliajiriwa kama karani na sio afisa manunuzi kitu ambacho hakikupingwa katika maelezo. Hivyo akaiomba Mahakama itengue uamuzi wa Tume na kuruhusu mleta maombi kulipwa stahiki zake. Katika majibu, Bwana Nkalani aliwasilisha kuwa nyaraka iliyopokelewa mbele ya Tume kama Pl ilikuwa ni "offer" ila mkataba wa ajira ulipokelewa kama kielelezo DI. Akiendelea kueleza, alisema kuwa hakuna 4 ushahidi wowote ulifikishwa mbele ya Tume kuonyesha kuwa kielelezo DI ni cha kughushi na kuwa hoja hiyo imeibuliwa mbele ya Mahakama katika kiapo. Aliendelea kuwasilisha kuwa mleta maombi alipewa taarifa ya kutokuwa na nia ya kuendelea naye na kielelezo hicho kilipokelewa na Tume. Akaeleza, kanuni ya 24(2) ya Kanuni ya Labour Institutions (Medition and Arbitration Guidelines) Rule, Tangazo la Serikali Na. 67 ya mwaka 2007 inaelekeza kuwa maelezo ya awali sio

ushahidi hadi pale ambapo upande wa pili utayakubali. Alibainisha kuwa mkataba wa mleta maombi haukuhuishwa na wala haikujadiliwa na Tume, bali kulikuwa na hoja ya kufukuzwa kazi isivyo halali. Katika mawasilisho ya nyongeza Bwana Ngusaru pamoja na kurejea yale aliyoyawasilisha katika wasilisho la awali alisisitiza kuwa mleta maombi aliajiriwa kama afisa manunuzi. Baada ya kupitia mawasilisho ya pande zote mbili, Mahakama inaona hoja tatu hapa chini zinahitaji kuamriwa: - i. Kama maelezo ya awali ni sehemu ya ushahidi, ii. dpi ni mkataba halali kati ya kielelezo Pl na kielelezo DI, Hi. Kama mkataba uiivunjwa isivyo halali 5 Katika hoja ya kwanza Mahakama inakubaliana na wakili wa mjibu maombi kuwa maeiezo ya awaii sio ushahidi hadi pale pande zote mbili zitakapokubaliana nayo na endapo yatathibitishwa na ushahidi. Hii ni kwa mujibu wa kanuni ya 24(2) ya TLS Na. 67 la mwaka 2007 na pia imeamriwa katika kesi ya Fredy Ngodoki v Swissport Tanzania PLC, Civil Appeal No. 232 of 2019, Court of Appeal of Tanzania. Hivyo Tume ilipoacha kuzingatia maeiezo ya awaii yaliyotolewa katika kuchambua ushahidi wake ilikuwa sahihi. Hoja ya mleta maombi katika hili, haina mashiko. Katika hoja ya pili Mahakama imepitia vielelezo vilivyofikishwa mbele ya Tume na kubaini kuwa kielelezo Pl kuwa ni "Offer of Employment". Nyaraka hii inaonyesha dhahili kuwa lengo lake lilikuwa ni kuonyesha nia ya kutaka

kumwajiri mleta maombi. Kwani "offer" hiyo imeeleza wazi kuwa ajira ya mleta maombi itaanza baada ya kuweka sahihi katika mkataba wa ajira. Kwa rahisi ya rejea inasema: - "Dear Edward, Re: Offer of Employment ... Your employment will be effected under the terms and conditions stated hereunder and you will be expected to sign an employment contract with FMJ Hardware immediately upon hire:" 6 Hivyo "offer" hiyo imedhihirisha wazi kuwa haukuwa mkataba. Katika kielelezo DI inaelezwa wazi kuwa ni "MKATABA WA MUDA MAALUMU", kwa mantiki hiyo muamuzi alikuwa sahihi alipobainisha kuwa mkataba unaowaongoza mleta maombi na mjibu maombi ni ule uliopokelewa kama kielelezo DI. Hivyo hoja ya pili ni kama ilivyoamriwa na Tume. Katika hoja ya tatu Baada ya Mahakama kubaini kuwa mkataba halisi ni ule wa kielelezo DI uliupitia na kubaini kuwa mkataba huo ulikuwa ni wa muda maalumu wa mwaka mmoja. Mkataba ulianza tarehe 01.09.2020 na kutakiwa kuisha tarehe 31.08.2021. Hivyo tarehe 29.07.2021 mleta maombi alipatiwa na mjibu maombi barua ya nia yake ya kutohuisha mkataba huo ifikapo tarehe 31.08.2021. Kama sheria inavyoelekeza, mkataba wa ajira ya muda maalum unahesabika kuisha pale ambapo muda wake unapofikia kikomo. Hayo yanaelezwa katika kanuni ya 4(2) ya Employment and Labour Relations (Code of Good Practice) TLS Na. 42 ya mwaka 2007. Hivyo kwa kitendo cha mjibu maombi kumwandikia mleta maombi

taarifa ya nia yake ya kutokukusudia kuuhuisha ililikuwa ni kumtaarifu mleta maombi ili afahamu nia hiyo. Kwa sababu hiyo inaonyesha dhahili kuwa mkataba baina ya 7 mleta maombi na mjibu maombi ulisitishwa kutokana na muda wake kufika mwisho. Mahakama haya baada ya kupitia maombi ya marejeo inaona kwamba maombi yaliyowasilisha kutokuwa na mashiko. Hivyo yametupiliwa mbali. Na kwakuwa huu ni mgogoro wa kikazi, kila upande utajilipia gharama zake. A.K. Rwizile

JUDGE 13.12.2022

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

Cases, legislation, regulations, and constitutional provisions identified in the available record.

Fredy Ngodoki v Swissport Tanzania PLC, Civil Appeal No. 232 of 2019, Court of Appeal of Tanzania

Case cited

Labour Institutions (Mediation and Arbitration Guidelines) GN No. 67/2007

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Employment and Labour Relations (Code of Good Practice) GN No. 42/2007

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

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