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Tanzania Judgment

TANZLII

hacle security limited vs agatha g ponela 2023 tzhcld 1439 21 septemba 2023

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Professional case brief

Research organized from the available case record

Source document

01

Holding and result

Since the respondent was not unfairly terminated but was absent from work on her own accord, the CMA erred in ordering her return to work with salary rights; such remedy is only available where unfair termination is established.

Court disposition

Application allowed; CMA decision set aside.

Orders

  • CMA decision ordering respondent to return to work with salary rights is quashed.
  • No salary is payable for the period the respondent was absent from work.

02

Material facts

Parties

Hacle Security Limited

Applicant Counsel: Isaya Maisel

Agatha G. Ponela

Respondent Counsel: Sospiter Lufasinza Ng'wandu

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Labour Revision / Judgment

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Whether the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration (CMA) was correct to order the respondent to return to work with salary rights despite finding no unfair termination

Party arguments

Applicant
The CMA erred by ordering the respondent to return to work with salary rights when it had found there was no unfair termination; the only proper order was to dismiss the dispute.
Respondent
The CMA's decision was correct and should be upheld as the respondent had already filed for execution of the award.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Section 40(1)(a) of the Employment and Labour Relations Act, Cap 366

    Remedies for unfair termination are only available where unfair termination is established; if not, such remedies are not applicable.

  2. 02

    Balton Tanzania Limited v. Victoria Galinoma & Another, Civil Appeal No. 224 of 2019

    A tribunal may grant certain statutory entitlements even if not claimed, to resolve labour disputes.

  3. 03

    Shabani Musa Para v. Scanad Tanzania Ltd, Revision No. 355 of 2017

    An employee cannot be paid salaries for periods not worked due to their own absenteeism.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

Since the respondent was not unfairly terminated but was absent from work on her own accord, the CMA erred in ordering her return to work with salary rights; such remedy is only available where unfair termination is established.

Obiter and limits

  • A tribunal may, in some circumstances, grant remedies not specifically claimed to resolve disputes, but such remedies must be legally justified.
  • Employees should not benefit from salaries for periods they did not work due to their own absenteeism.

Court disposition

Application allowed; CMA decision set aside.

  • CMA decision ordering respondent to return to work with salary rights is quashed.
  • No salary is payable for the period the respondent was absent from work.

Source and reliance status

TANZLII · 1 January 2023

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Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

TANZLII

Judgment· 1 January 2023

hacle security limited vs agatha g ponela 2023 tzhcld 1439 21 septemba 2023

KATIKA MAHAKAMA KUU YA TANZANIA

DIVISHENI YA KAZI

DAR ES SALAAM MAREJEO NA. 55 YA MWAKA 2023 HACLE SECURITY LIM ITED............................................... MLETA MAOMBI

DHIDI YA AGATHA G. PONELA.......................................................... MJIBU MAOMBI

HUKUMU Tarehe ya amri ya mwisho: 01/ 09/2023 Tarehe ya hukumu: 21/ 09/2023 MLYAMBINA, 3 Mbele ya Mahakama hii Mleta Maombi anapinga maamuzi yaliyotolewa na Tume ya Usuluhishi na Uamuzi (itajulikana kama Tume) mnamo tarehe 08/02/2023 katika Mgogoro wa Kazi Na. CMA/DSM/KIN/94/21/14/21. Mbele ya Tume Mjibu Maombi aliwasilisha mgogoro wake akipinga uachishwaji kazi usio halali dhidi ya Mwajiri wake ambaye ndiye Mleta Maombi katika shauri hili. Tume baada ya kusikiliza Ushahidi wa pande zote mbili iliona ya kuwa Mjibu Maombi alishindwa kuthibitisha kuwa aliachishwa kazi na Mleta Maombi. Tume ilijiridhisha kuwa Mjibu Maombi hakuachishwa kazi kama ambavyo imeelezwa katika ukurasa wa 4 wa maamuzi ya Tume. Kutokana na maamuzi hayo Tume ilimuamuru Mlalamikaji kurudi kazini bila ya kupoteza haki yake ya mshahara ndani ya siku 14 tangu kutolewa kwa uamuzi huo. Mleta Maombi hakufurahishwa na maamuzi hayo ya Tume hivyo kuleta shauiri la marejeo mbele ya Mahakama hii. Sababu za kupinga maamuzi hayo zitabainishwa katika maamuzi haya. Kwa upande wake Mjibu Maombi alipinga vikali Maombi haya kwasababu ambazo zitaelezwa. Shauri hili liliendeshwa kwa njia ya maandishi. Mleta Maombi aliwakiliswa na Bw. Isaya Maisel, mwakilishi kutka chama cha Waajiri ATE ilihali Mjibu Maombi aliwakilishwa na Bw. Sospiter Lufasinza Ng'wandu, Mwakilishi binafsi. Katika mawasilisho yake Bw. Maisel alieleza kuwa

mgogoro uliokuwa mbele ya Tume ni wa kuachishwa kazi. Kwamba hoja pekee iliyokuwa mbele ya Tume ni endapo kulikuwa na sababu ya uachishwaji kazi na Tume ilibaini kuwa Mjibu Maombi hakuachishwa kazi bali alikuwa mtoro yeye mwenyewe. Bw. Maisel aliendelea kueleza kuwa pamoja na kuwa Tume iliona Mjibu Maombi hakuachishwa kazi iliendelea kutoa amri ya kuwa Mjibu Maombi arudi kazini bila ya kupoteza haki ya mshahara maamuzi ambayo ndiyo kiini hasa cha kuomba marejeo haya. Bw. Maisel aliwasilisha kuwa uamuzi wa kuamuru Mlalamikaji arudi kazini haujawahi kutolewa na Tume. Alifafanua kuwa amri inayotolewa na Tume huwa ni Mwajiri kumrudisha mfanyakazi kazini na sio mfanyakazi kurudi kazini. Aliongeza kuwa uamuzi wa Tume ni kinyume na Kanuni ya 32(1) ya Sheria za Taasisi za Kazi (Mwongozo wa Usuiuhishi na Uamuzi) Tangazo ia Serika/i Na. 67 la mwaka 2007. Alisistiza kuwa katika mgogoro huu hapakuwepo na uachishwaji kazi usio halali bali hakukuwepo na uachishwaji kazi wowote hivyo amri halali ilikuwa ni kutupilia mbali mgogoro. Kutokana na sababu hizo Bw. Maisel anaiomba Mahakama kutengua maamuzi hayo ya Tume. Akijibu Maombi hayo Bw. Lufasinza alijikita kutoa maelezo yake kwenye hoja ambazo sio kiini cha mgogoro huu. Alijikita kuelezea namna ambavyo alifukuzwa kazi. Alisistiza kuwa Muamuzi alikuwa sahihi katika maamuzi yake hivyo shauri hili litupiliwe mbali kwakuwa yeye

tayari ameshafungua Maombi ya kukazia hukumu yaliyosajiliwa kama Labour Execution No. 99 ya mwaka 2023. Baada ya kusikiliza hoja hizo za pande zote mbili Mahakama inaona inayo hoja moja tu ya kutatua; endapo Muamuzi alikuwa sahihi katika maamuzi yake. Kama ambavyo imeelezwa bayana na Mleta Maombi, shauri lililowasilishwa mbele ya Tume ilikuwa ni kupinga uachishwaji kazi usio halali kama inavyojieleza kupitia fomu ya kuwasilisha lalamiko mbele ya Tume (CMA FI). Baada ya kupitia maelezo ya pande zote, Tume ilijiridhisha kuwa Mjibu Maombi hakuachishwa kazi bali alikuwa mtoro yeye mwenyewe. Maamuzi hayo hayajapingwa na pande zote mbili na Mahakama hii haioni sababu ya kuyajadili kwakuwa sio kiini cha mgogoro huu. Baada ya muamuzi kujiridhisha kuwa hakukuwa na uachishwaji kazi usio halali alitoa amri ifuatayo: Baada ya hoja ya kwanza kujibiwa Tume haitajibu hoja ya pili kwakuwa Mlalamikaji hakuachishwa kazi, hivyo itajikita katika kujibu hoja ya tatu kuhusu nafuu kwa pande zote. Kwa kuwa nimejiridhisha kuwa Mlalamikaji hakuachishwa kazi, Tume hii inaamuru Mlalamikaji kurudi kazini bila kupoteza haki yake ya mishahara ndani ya siku 14 tangu kutolewa kwa uamuzi huu. Mleta Maombi anapinga vikali maamuzi hayo akidai ya kuwa Tume haina mamlaka ya kumuamuru Mjibu Maombi arudi kazini bila ya kupoteza haki yake ya mishahara bali ilitakiwa kulifuta shauri husika. Katika Sheria ya Ajira na

Mahusiano Kazini, Sura Na. 366 Kama iiivyorejewa 2019 Kifungu cha 40 kimetoa nafuu mbalimbali zinazotolewa kwa Mfanyakazi alieachishwa kazi isivyo halali. Nafuu hizo hazipaswi kutolewa katika mgogoro huu kwakuwa Mjibu Maombi hakuachishwa kazi kabisa. Hivyo Tume iliendelea kumtambua kama Mwajiriwa wa Mleta Maombi. Ni msimamo wa Mahakama kuwa Tume inatakiwa kujikita kutoa nafuu ambazo zimeombwa katika fomu ya kuwasilisha Maombi mbele yake. Lakini katika mazingira mengine na kwa lengo la kumaliza migogoro ya kikazi ni mtazamo wangu kuwa Tume inaweza kutoa amri hata ambayo haijaombwa na Wadaawa ambayo itaona inafaa na itamaliza mgogoro husika. Mtazamo huu umeungwa mkono katika kesi ya Balton Tanzania Limited v. Victoria Galinoma & Another, Civil Appeal No. 224 of 2019 ambapo Mahakama ilieleza ifuatavyo: ....whenever the need arises, once established and proved, some non-discretionary statutory entitlements such as terminal benefits and a certificate of service are grantable, even if had not been claimed in the said referral form. That is pursuant to section 44 (1) and (2) o f the ELRA. Katika shauri hili ni mtazamo wangu kuwa Muamuzi hakuwa sahihi kumwamuru Mjibu Maombi arudi kazini bila ya kupoteza haki ya mshahara. Kama alikuwa na lengo la kumaliza mgogoro angeishia tu kumwamuru Mjibu Maombi arudi kazini kwakuwa hata Mleta Maombi bado anamtambua kama Mfanyakazi wake na hakuna

hatua zozote za kinidhamu alizomchukulia kutokana na utoro anaodai. Mahakama hii inayaona maamuzi ya kutopoteza haki ya mshahara hayakuwa sahihi. Maamuzi haya hutolewa kwa Mfanyakazi aliekuwa ameachishwa kazi isivyo halali na anatakiwa kurejeshwa kazini kama ambavyo imeelezwa katika Kifungu cha 40(1) (a) cha Sheria ya Ajira na Mahusiano Kazini. Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, Mjibu Maombi hakuachishwa kazi hivyo hastahili nafuu hiyo. Lakini pia katika maelezo yake Mjibu Maombi alieleza wazi kuwa tokea mwezi wa 11 mwaka 2020 hajaenda kazini hivyo sio sawa kwa Mfanyakazi huyo kunufaika kwa mishahara ambayo hajaifanyia kazi. Pia huu ni msimamo wa Mahakama uliopo hata katika kesi ya Shabani Musa Para dhidi ya Scanad Tanzania Ltd, Marejeo Na. 355 ya mwaka 2017, Mahakama Kuu Divisheni ya Kazi Dar es Salaam iliamuru ifuatavyo: It is my belief that the three (3) months salaries as compensation was reasonable and justifiable for the reason that it was the time the applicant was on compulsory leave as per Exhibit S3. The remaining 7 months prayed by the applicant before CMA were unjustifiable and cannot stand. Since he did not go to work on his own will, he cannot be paid salaries for the work he had not done. Hivyo basi, ni msimamo wa Mahakama hii kuwa kwakuwa Mjibu Maombi hakwenda mwenyewe kazini huku Mleta Maombi akiendelea kuamtambua kuwa ni Mfanyakazi wake, hastahili kulipwa mishahara ya muda ambao hakuwa kazini. Mahakama inaona ya kuwa Maombi haya yana mantiki na maamuzi ya Tume yanatupiliwa mbali. Imeamuriwa hivyo.

JAJI 21/09/2023 Imesomwa leo tarehe 21 Mwezi September, 2023 mbele ya Isaya Maisel Mwakilishi kutoka chama cha Waajiri Divisheni ya ATE na mbele ya Maombi akiwakilishwa na Bw. Sospiter Lufasinza Ng'wandu, Mwakilishi binafsi. Haki ya Rufaa imetolewa.

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

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

Balton Tanzania Limited v. Victoria Galinoma & Another, Civil Appeal No. 224 of 2019

Case cited

Shabani Musa Para v. Scanad Tanzania Ltd, Revision No. 355 of 2017

Case cited

Employment and Labour Relations Act, Cap 366 (as revised 2019)

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Labour Institutions (Mediation and Arbitration Guidelines) Rules, GN No. 67 of 2007

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

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