Download PDF

Tanzania Judgment

TANZLII

universal cargo transhipment co ltd vs john bosco ponela 2023 tzhcld 1370 21 february 2023

On this page

Professional case brief

Research organized from the available case record

Source document

01

Holding and result

The arbitrator lacked jurisdiction to hear and determine the dispute ex parte; the statutory framework only permits conciliation by the arbitrator, and upon failure, the matter must be referred for arbitration, not determined ex parte by the conciliator.

Court disposition

Application allowed; arbitration award set aside.

Orders

  • The award of the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration is set aside.
  • Each party to bear its own costs.

02

Material facts

Parties

Universal Cargo Transhipment Holdings Co. Ltd.

Applicant Counsel: Habibu Kasimu

John Bosco Ponela

Respondent

Amounts and remedies

  • Monthly Salary Claimed: TZS 300,000
  • Compensation Awarded by CMA (set Aside): TZS 4,200,000

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Labour Revision / Judgment on Application for Revision of Arbitration Award

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Whether the arbitrator had jurisdiction to hear and determine the dispute ex parte under section 87(3)(b) of the Employment and Labour Relations Act

Party arguments

Applicant
The arbitrator lacked legal authority to hear the dispute ex parte; section 87(3)(b) does not grant such power, and the arbitrator's role is limited to conciliation, not determination.
Respondent
The arbitrator was empowered under section 87(3)(b) and Rule 14(2)(a)(ii) of GN No. 67/2007 to proceed ex parte based on the circumstances; each case should be determined on its own facts.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Barclays Bank (T) Ltd vs Ayyam Matesa, Civil Appeal No. 481 of 2020; sections 86, 87 of the Employment and Labour Relations Act; GN No. 67/2007

    An arbitrator's statutory role is limited to conciliation and does not extend to hearing and determining disputes ex parte; if conciliation fails, the matter should be referred for arbitration by a different officer.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The arbitrator lacked jurisdiction to hear and determine the dispute ex parte; the statutory framework only permits conciliation by the arbitrator, and upon failure, the matter must be referred for arbitration, not determined ex parte by the conciliator.

Obiter and limits

  • Each case must be determined on its own facts, but the statutory mandate of the arbitrator is clear and not subject to expansion by practice.

Court disposition

Application allowed; arbitration award set aside.

  • The award of the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration is set aside.
  • Each party to bear its own costs.

Source and reliance status

TANZLII · 21 February 2023

This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.

Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

TANZLII

Judgment· 21 February 2023

universal cargo transhipment co ltd vs john bosco ponela 2023 tzhcld 1370 21 february 2023

I

MAHAKAMA KUU YA TANZANIA

DIVISHENI YA KAZI

PAR ES SALAAM MAOMBI YA MAREJEO NA. 274 YA 2022 UNIVERSAL CARGO TRANSHIPMENT HOLDINGS CO. LTD.. MLETA MAOMBI

DHIDI YA JOHN BOSCO PONELA.......................................MJIBU MAOMBI (Kutokana na Uamuzi wa Tume ya Usuluhishi na Uamuzi Kanda ya DSM - Temeke) (Ngalika: Msuluhishi) Tarehe 31.05.2021 Katika CMA/DSM/TEM/531/2020

HUKUMU 06.02 & 21.02.2023 Rwizile, 3 Haya ni maombi ya marejeo. Mleta maombi ameomba Mahakama kuitisha, kupitia na kutengua tuzo ya Tume ya Usuluhishi na Uamuzi (Tume) katika Mgogoro wa kikazi namba CMA/DSM/TEM/531/2020 ya tarehe 31.05.2021. i Ilielezwa mbele ya Tume kwamba mlalamikaji aliajiriwa tangua tarehe 10.02. 2020 kama mlinzi kwa mshahara wa shilingi 300,000.00 kwa mwezi. Hata hivyo mahusiano yake na mwajiri wake hayakwenda sawa. Kwa kuwa hakulipwa stahiki zake. Hii ilisabisha apeleke malalamiko yake kwa afisa kazi akidai mwajiri wake hajamlipa stahiki zake kwa muda wa miezi 10 pamoja na kwamba alifanya kazi. Taarifa hii ilimkasirisha mwajiri akaamua kumfukuza kazi. Hakuridhika na uamuzi wa mwajiri ndipo aliamua kufungua mgogoro wa kikazi mbele ya Tume. Kama ilivyoada, mgogoro ulianza hatua ya usuluhishi. Hata hivyo wakili wa mjibu mombi hakufika tena mbele ya Tume. Uamuzi wa Msuluhishi ulikuwa kuendelea upande mmoja, chini ya kifungu cha 87(3)(b) cha Sheria ya Ajira na Mahusiano Kazini, Sura 366. (kwa ufupi itajulikana kama Sheria) Tume ilipokea ushahidi wa mjibu maombi na kujiridhisha kwamba alikuwa na madai ya msingi, hivyo mleta maombi akatakiwa kulipa kiasi cha 4,200,000.00 kama fidia ya mishahara ya miezi 12, pamoja na stahili nyinginezo. Uamuzi huu hata hivyo haukumridhisha mleta maombi hadi kufungua shauri hili akipinga uamuzi huo. Katika kiapo chake, Mleta

maombi ameeleza sababu zifuatazo; 2 i. Kwamba umuzi ulitolewa na msuluhishi ambaye kisheria hakuwa na mamtaka ii. Kwamba Tume haikupokea nakala za vielelezo ha/isi Katika wasilisho la maandishi kwa ajili ya mleta Maombi, Wakili Habibu Kasimu kutoka kampuni ya uwakili ya Nkonko alieza hoja moja tu. Kwamba Msuluhishi hakuwa na mamlaka ya kusikiliza Mgogoro huo. Kwa ufupi, wakili alisema, Msuluhishi alijiekeza vibaya kutumia kifungu cha 87(3) (b) cha Sheria. Kwa mujibu wa wakili, kifungu hiki hakimpi Msuluhishi mamlaka ya kusikiliza shauri upande mmoja kwani mamlaka yake ni kusuluhisha tu. Kwa moani yake haikuwa sahihi kufanya hivyo kama ilivyo Amriwa na Mahakama ya Rufani katika shauri la Barclays Bank(T) Ltd vs Ayyam Matesa, Civil Appeal No. 481 of 2020. Wakili alisisitiza kwamba mamlaka ya Msuluhishi yameelezwa katika vifungu vya 86 na 87 vya Sheria na Kanuni ya 3,4 na 5 za Kanuni za Taasisi za Kazi(Usuluhishi na Uamuzi) Tangazo la Serikali Na. 67 ya 2007. (kwa kifupia itaitwa TS No. 67/2007) Kwa mukutadha huo, aliomba Mahakama kutengua uamuzi wa Tume. Mjibu maombi akijibu hoja hii mwenyewe, katika wasilisho lake la maandishi, alisema kwa kifupi kwamba, ilikuwa sawa kwa Msuluhishi kusikiliza na kuamua kama alivyofanya. Kwa mtazamo wake, anayo mamlaka chini ya kifungu cha 87(3) cha Sheria na Kanuni ya 14(2)(a)(ii) ya TS No. 67/2007. Aliendelea kusema kwamba, inafahamika kwamba

kila shauri linasikilizwa kulingana na mazingira yake. Anasema katika Shauri la Kenya Kazi Security(T) Ltd vs Sophia Kalist Guarenhi, Revision No. 196 of 2019 kama ilivyokubalika katika shauri la Mbeki Teachers Saccos vs Zahra Justas Mango, labour Revision No. 164 of 2010. Alisema pia kwamba hata katika shauri la Barclays Bank(T) Ltd vs Ayyam Matesa (tajwa) katika ukurasa wa 11, kutofika bila sababu wakati wa hatua zile mbili ni ushahidi tosha kwamba mhusika siyo makini. Hivyo ni rai ya Mjibu Maombi kutupilia mbali maombi haya. Mahakama baada ya kupitia mawasilisho ya pande zote, na pia kuangalia uamuzi wa Tume, kuna haja ya kuamua suala la msingi kama linavyo bishaniwa. Je ni kweii msuiuhishi anaruhusiwa kusikiliza shauri kama mjibu maombi hajafika wakati wa usu/uhishi. Maelezo ya pande mbili yako wazi kwamba Msuluhishi alisikiza mgogoro upande mmoja. Katika umuzi wake, alisema bayana kuwa anamlaka hayo chini kifungu cha 87(3)(b) cha Sheria. Taratibu na tamaduni za Tume zimekuwa zikitafsiri kifungu hicho kama kinachotoa mamlaka kwa Msuluhishi kusikiliza mgogoro upande mmoja au kuufuta kulingana na mazingira husika. Mamlaka ya Msuluhishi yameelezwa vizuri katika vifungu vya 86 and 87 vya sheria na pia kanuni ya 13 ya TS No. 67/2007. Ninaweza kusema bilashaka kwamba kama kinavyo someka kifungu hicho (cha 87) hakina utata. Kimeelezwa kwa lugha ya kawaidi. Lakini ninachelea

kusema yaliyoelezwa katika kifungu hicho ndio msimamo was sheria. La hasha, Mjibu Maombi alisema kila shauri linaamriwa kwa mazingira yake na akaomba nifuate uamuzi wa Mahakama haya katika shauri la Kenya Kazi Security (T) Ltd vs Sophia Kalist Guarenhi, (tajwa). Lakini iwe ni kwa makusudi au kwa bahati mbaya mjibu maombi hakujua kwamba sifungwi na uamuzi huo kwa sababu umetolewa na Mahakama Kuu, japo hata kilicho amriwa katika shauri hili si sawa na shauri hili. Mleta maombi aliomba nifungwe na umuzi katika shauri la Barclays Bank(T) Ltd vs Ayyam Matesa (tajwa). Nimesoma uamuzi wa Mahakama ya Rufani. Inaonekana mazingira ya shauri hili ni sawa kabisa na hili. Ni kweli Msuluhishi alisikiliza Mgogoro mbele yake upande mmoja baada ya kujiridhisha na kutokuwepo kwa mlalamikiwa. Alifanya hivyo kwa mujibu wa kifungu cha 87(3)(b) cha Sheria. 5 Katika shauri tajwa Mahakama ya Rufani ilipitia vifungu vya, 40, 86 na 87 vya Sheria, kanuni ya 8,20 na 28 ya TS No. 67/2007, na pia kupitia maamuzi mbalimbali ya ndani na nje ya mamlaka ya sheria zetu. Ilijiridhisha kuwa kazi ya Msuluhishi ni kusuluhisha migogoro na siyo kusikiliza. Kwa mtazamo wa Mahakama hiyo, haikuwa sahihi kwa Msuluhishi kusikiliza mgogoro upande mmoja. Alitakiwa kuchukua hatua nyingine kama kuahirisha au kulipeleka kwa Muamuzi kuendelea na hatua nyingine. Kwa mantiko hiyo, msimamo wa sheria kwa sasa ni kwamba Msuluhishi hana mamlaka ya kusikiliza mgogoro. Baada ya kusema hayo, ni Dhahiri, hoja ya mleta mombi inamashiko. Inamriwa kuwa Msuluhishi hakuwa na mamlaka ya kuendelea na shauri hilo upande mmoja. Maombi haya kwa hiyo, yana msingi na yamekubaliwa. Inamaana uamuzi was Tume unatenguliwa. Kila upande utajilipia gharama zake. 6

Source wording is retained. Consult the source document for its original formatting and pagination.

Authorities

Authorities used by the court

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

Barclays Bank (T) Ltd vs Ayyam Matesa, Civil Appeal No. 481 of 2020

Case cited

Kenya Kazi Security (T) Ltd vs Sophia Kalist Guarenhi, Revision No. 196 of 2019

Case cited

Mbeki Teachers Saccos vs Zahra Justas Mango, Labour Revision No. 164 of 2010

Case cited

Employment and Labour Relations Act, Cap 366

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Government Notice No. 67 of 2007

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Case-aware research

Ask AI about this case

The judgment and available research above are public. New questions open in a separate private conversation grounded in this case.

About this LexChat collection

This page organizes the available case record for research. Verify quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the source document. Corrections can be reported to hello@esheria.ai.

Legal information, not legal advice. Research summaries do not replace the judgment.