Sehemu iliyopita, mwandishi alieleza kuwa kwa mujibu wa sheria ya pensheni, wakongwe wanalipwa fedha kidogo mno. Akasema wakongwe wote wanarundikwa katika kapu au fungu moja la malipo ya uzeeni – na wote wanalipwa Sh100,000 (laki moja) tu kila mwezi bila kujali mstaafu alikuwa na cheo gani au mshahara upi – alimradi alistaafu kabla ya Juni 30, 1999 basi malipo yake Hazina ni Sh 100,000 kila mwezi. Malipo haya ni tofauti na waliostaafu kuanzia Julai mosi, 1999. Endelea…
Act. No.2 ya 1999 imeandikwa hivi: CAP 371. PART VIII
TRANSITIONAL PERIOD AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 73(1) The Pensions Ordinance is hereby repealed.
(2) All person who, immediately before the commencement date were receiving pension, allowances, additional benefits or other retirement benefits granted under the provisions of the Pensions Ordinance which are similar to those set out under section 20(4) of this Act, shall continue to receive those benefits as if the Pensions Ordinance had not been repealed.
Kama sheria hii kweli imefuta ile Pensions Ordinance ya 1954 Cap 371 kwa kile kifungu 73(1) inakuwaje sasa wakongwe kuendelea kulipwa kana kwamba bado hiyo sheria haijafutwa? Kifungu 73(2) kinavyosema.
Sheria ina mizengwe, upande mmoja inasema, “The Public Service Retirement Act No. 2 of 1999 REPEALS The Pensions Ordinance of 1954 halafu inatamka maneno…however The Act goes further to provide commencement date of the date of the Act, those who were receiving pensions, allowances and other benefits under the provisions of the ordinance similar to those set out under section 20 (4) of the Act, will continue to receive the benefits as if the pensions ordinance had not been repealed”
Huko si kujikanganya ili tu wakongwe sisi tubakie kama kabla ya Uhuru kulipwa kwa ile Pensions Ordinance ya 1954?
OMBI langu kwa Mheshimiwa Rais usiyependa kuongoza watu wenye machozi, wala walioonewa kwa unyonge wao na sheria kandamizi ya kibaguzi, UTUFUTIE kabisa hii sheria ya 1954 kifungu 73(2) na utoe kabisa kile kipengele katika Act No. 2.
Wastaafu wote waliotumikia serikali hii na walilipwa pensheni toka MFUKO WA HAZINA, kama Act No. 2 ya 1999, CAP 371. PART III; Section (5) inayosema, “The pension, gratuity allowance and services granted under this section shall be paid out of the Consolidated Fund and shall not be subject to income tax”. Je, niamini Consolidated Fund hii haina fedha wakati nchi hii ni tajiri na fedha za ndani zipo?
Pili, naomba tulipwe kwa sheria moja ile ile, pasiwepo ubaguzi eti wale waliostaafu kabla ya Juni 30, 1999 walipwe vingine. Wote ni wastaafu wa umma. Walitumikia taifa hili hili, serikali moja ile ile ya chama tawala cha TANU na sasa CCM. Maana Act No. 2 ya 1999 Cap 371 Part I; Section 2 inasema “This Act shall apply to all Government employees employed in Tanzania as well as to employees employed by Executive Agencies established under an Act of Parliament.”
Iweje kuwepo na huu ubaguzi eti wale wakongwe (1950’s – 1964’s) waendelee na sheria ile ile ya Ordinance ya 1954 wakati hawa vijana wetu wa sasa wale mafao manono ya Public Service Retirement Benefit Act No.2 ya1999?
Mimi najua hayati Baba wa Taifa, na Mzee Mwinyi na hayati Mzee Kawawa pamoja na kustaafu kwao kabla ya Juni 30, 1999, wao walilipwa mafao yao ya uzeeni kwa mujibu wa sheria hii mpya ya The Political Pension Benefits Act No. 3 of 1999 ambayo inasema “…it covers leaders who assumed or retired from office after November 1st 2000…”
Watanzania siyo wajinga kuwa hawajui kama wapo viongozi waliostaafu kabla kabisa ya Juni 30, 1999. (Baba wa Taifa mwaka 1985, Mzee Mwinyi 1995, Mzee Kawawa 1990) na sheria imewabeba. Kwanini Katibu Mkuu Kiongozi hayati Dixon Nkembo na hayati Timoth Apiyo waliachwa waendelee kulipwa mafao yao kwa ile ya mwaka 1954 Pensions Ordinance?
Mheshimiwa Rais, nakumbuka maneno yako ya ushupavu yanayoonyesha utashi mkubwa wa kutenda katika nchi yetu. Wakati unazindua Terminal III pale Uwanja wa Kimataifa wa Julius Nyerere – Alhamisi Agosti mosi, mwaka huu ulionyesha wazi kuwa fedha tunazo serikalini. Ukaelezea ulivyothubutu kuamua kufufua shirika letu la taifa la ndege kwa fedha zetu za ndani.
Naomba tu niorodheshe baadhi ya uamuzi wako wa kishujaa katika baadhi ya miradi mikubwa mikubwa namna hii;
1. Ununuzi wa ndege mpya 8 kwa Sh trilioni 1.3.
2. Ujenzi wa reli ya kisasa (SGR) kwa Sh Trilioni 7
3. Mradi wa kufua umeme Rufiji kwa Sh trilioni 5.8
4. Ujenzi wa barabara za lami nchi nzima kwa Sh trilioni 5.3
5. Ujenzi wa hospitali na vituo vya afya Sh Bilioni 321
6. Mikopo ya elimu ya Sh trilioni 1.6
7. Ukarabati na ujenzi wa viwanja vya ndege nchi nzima Sh trilioni 1.8
Kwa uamuzi wako wa kishujaa na wa kiutendaji namna hii mataifa mengi wanatushangaa na kutuheshimu Watanzania. Wanajiuliza hawa fedha wanapata wapi? Wewe Mheshjimiwa Rais unasema, “fedha zipo humu humu nchini na sisi ni matajiri.”
Ndipo mimi mkongwe wa pensions Ordinance ya 1954 ninakuomba wainue wastaafu wote wa kabla ya Juni 30, 1999. Tulipwe mafao ya uzeeni kwa SHERIA hii moja ya Taifa – The Public Service Retirement Benefits Act. No 2 Cap 371 kama wastaafu hawa wengine!
Ubaya wa ile Ordinace 1954 ni kuwa ilikuwa ya kikoloni kuwakandamiza ‘natives’ sisi wafanyakazi weusi – Waafrika. Na ubaya wa hii The Public Service Retirement Benefits Act. No. 2 of 1999 ina kipengele cha kutubagua wakongwe eti tutaendelea kulipwa “…will continue to receive the benefits as if the pensions ordinance had not been repealed…” Turekebishe sheria hii na kufuta uwepo wa sheria mbili tofauti kwa wastaafu wa umma katika nchi moja unayoiongoza.
Naomba sasa Mheshimiwa Rais uitazame ile Government Notice No. 206 Published on 29th June, 2009. ORDER made under section 30 – The Public Service Retirement Benefit Act Cap 371.
Katika special supplement No. 3 kuna “schedule” mle inaonyesha mafao ya uzeeni wanayopokea wastaafu wa sasa yapo madaraja ya hayo malipo ya uzeeni kuanzia ngazi ya chini kabisa mpaka wale wa mishahara tukiita zamani “Staff Grades” ambao mishahara yao haina nyongeza inaitwa “fixed” salary scales.
Basi, katika “schedule” ile kuna ngazi 37 za walipwa mafao ya uzeeni. Ngazi ya chini kabisa no. 1 ni watu wa chini hao mafao yao ndiyo Sh 83,520. Hizo waliongezwa kutoka Sh 36,000 kwa mwezi. Kwa sasa zimeongezwa na tunapata Sh 100,000 (laki moja tu) kwa mwezi kama ilivyokuwa kwenye “schedule”.
Ngazi ya juu na ya mwisho kabisa kwa vigogo kama makatibu wakuu, majaji wakuu hapa niseme wale wote mheshimiwa uliowaita kuzungumza nao Ikulu tarehe 3 Julai 2018 ambao mafao yao ni kiboko! Yaani “fixed”; basi wanaanzia Sh 1,692,800 kwa mwezi na kukoma Sh 2,960,000 ndiyo mwisho. Tazama mheshimiwa, mstaafu mwenye cheo kama changu anapokea Sh 100,000 lakini mwenye cheo hicho hicho kwa sheria ya pili anapokea Sh milioni 1.6 hadi Sh milioni 2.9!
Cha kusikitisha zaidi hiyo Act. No.2 ya 1999 inasema tuendelee kulipwa kwa mujibu wa The 1954 Pensions Ordinance Cap. 371 sehemu ya 73(2)inavyosema “…will continue to receive the benefit as if the pension ordinance had not been repealed…” Ndio maana sote tunalipwa “flat rate” hii ya Sh 100,000 regardless of which position they held and salary they were earning…” Haya madaraja ya wenzetu wa sasa vipi yasitumike na kwa wakongwe hawa [sisi]?
Haya ni maneno ya kutuumiza, tuliostaafu kabla ya ile Juni 30, 1999. Ni uonevu ambao Mheshimiwa Rais hupendi kuusikia. Nakumbuka ulitamka pale Kongwa, Dodoma –Julai 18, 2019 hivi “…mlinichagua kwa ajili ya watu wote, hasa wanyonge wanaopata shida. Siwezi nikatawala nchi ya machozi. Machozi haya yananiumiza. Siwezi nikatawala wanaosikitika, wako kwenye unyonge na unyonge wenyewe ni wa kuonewa.”
Hapo sisi wakongwe tunaonewa ni kifungu hicho kidogo tu cha sheria za nchi hii unayotawala. Tafadhali tunakuomba ukiondoe tupate afueni. Na tulipwe kimadaraja na siyo kurundikwa wastaafu wote wa kabla ya Juni 30, 1999 kama inavyofanyika hivi sasa kwa “flate rate” ya Sh 100,000 bila kujali alikuwa na cheo gani na daraja gani au madaraka gani katika nchi hii.
Kwa kuwa nchi yetu si masikini na ni tajiri, tumeamua kutenda kwa fedha zetu za ndani, hapo Mheshimiwa Rais na sisi wakongwe tupatao 3,000 tuko miongoni mwa raia unaowatawala. Tunakusihi utupe furaha ya kuona kweli tulipigania Uhuru, na Rais wetu unatuthamini.
Unaweza kulipia miradi mikubwa mikubwa katika nchi hii hata Waingereza wanasema, “Your President’s speed in development is FANTASTIC”. Haingii akilini kusikia hakuna fedha za kurekebisha mafao ya uzeeni kwa wakongwe hawa.
Pale Kilongowima, Mheshimiwa Waziri Lukuvi alitamka, “Wewe Brigedia Jenerali Mbenna ni masikini uliwezaje kumweka mwanasheria?” Nikamjibu, “Ni kweli afande mimi ni Brigedia Jenerali mkongwe nalipwa pensheni ya Sh 100,000 tu kwa mwezi. Hakuna Brigedia Jenerali mkongwe mwingine katika nchi hii anayelipwa kima hicho.”
Je, Amiri Jeshi Mkuu wangu kweli haiwezekani hata mimi mtu mmoja tu nikalipwa kama hao Mabrigedia Jenerali wenzangu wastaafu wa sasa?
Bila kuwachosha wasomaji naomba sasa nimalizie na kilio changu cha moyo kwa Amiri Jeshi Mkuu wangu. Tafadhali tafadhari sikiliza sala yangu hii itokayo katika ZABURI Na. 88 mstari wa 2, inaitwa sala toka vilindini mwa taabiko hivi; “MAOMBI YANGU YAFIKE MBELE YAKO, UUTEGEE UKELELE WANGU, SIKIO LAKO. MAANA NAFSI YANGU IMESHIBA TAABU NA UHAI WANGU UNAKARIBIA KUZIMU” (ZABURI 88:2-3)
Mimi mwenye HATI ya KUSTAAFU No. 024581(effective date 01/07/1988) na Treasury check No. 0044356. Hayo ndiyo maombi yangu kwa Serikali hii ya Awamu ya Tano na SIKIVU kwa VILIO vya wanyonge.
MUNGU IBARIKI TANZANIA
WABARIKI VIONGOZI WAKE – AMINA