Ngambo Ngali
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 17, 2009
- 3,517
- 1,359
ABOUT 100 Tanzanian truck drivers have been detained by police in Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) allegedly for stealing products from the tankers while on transit.
The Chairman of Tanzania Trucks Owners Association (TATOA), Mr Zacharia Poppe, confirmed the information yesterday. He told a Daily News reporter in Kigali that the drivers were seized at different times at border points into the countries last week.
According to Mr Poppe, the drivers are alleged to be stealing the petrol and diesel from the tanks on transit and then fill them with kerosene or paraffin to maintain the volume. Kerosene or paraffin used for lighting in rural areas is tax free in the country making it cheaper than petrol and diesel.
He said that the drivers were detained in the countries after he (Mr Poppe) reported the matter to the respective authorities in the three countries to help curb the problem that he said was becoming rampant.
The drivers offload a certain quantity of diesel or petrol from the tanks and fill it with same quantity of kerosene and then sell the stolen diesel or petrol and pocket the proceeds, he said.
Mr Hanspoppe said he is certain that some individuals in such authorities as Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Energy Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) as well as police were allegedly colluding with untrustworthy drivers in what he described as dirty business that is earning them good money.
However, the Director of Petroleum at EWURA, Mr Sirili Massay, said that the authority did not deal with the drivers on transit directly. He said that there were many companies that are supplied with the products by EWURA and might be dealing with such drivers.
Mr Massay said, however, that EWURA would soon introduce special tools that would help detect the petrol and diesel that are nitrified by other products while on transit. Sources from the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) told the Daily News that the authority did not deal with the trucks once they were out of the country.
TRA only monitors the trucks while in the country to ensure the products on transit are not sold in the country. When reached for comments, the Police Spokesperson, Mr Abdallha Mssika said that the police have not yet received the information and promised to make a follow- up.
The Chairman of Tanzania Trucks Owners Association (TATOA), Mr Zacharia Poppe, confirmed the information yesterday. He told a Daily News reporter in Kigali that the drivers were seized at different times at border points into the countries last week.
According to Mr Poppe, the drivers are alleged to be stealing the petrol and diesel from the tanks on transit and then fill them with kerosene or paraffin to maintain the volume. Kerosene or paraffin used for lighting in rural areas is tax free in the country making it cheaper than petrol and diesel.
He said that the drivers were detained in the countries after he (Mr Poppe) reported the matter to the respective authorities in the three countries to help curb the problem that he said was becoming rampant.
The drivers offload a certain quantity of diesel or petrol from the tanks and fill it with same quantity of kerosene and then sell the stolen diesel or petrol and pocket the proceeds, he said.
Mr Hanspoppe said he is certain that some individuals in such authorities as Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Energy Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) as well as police were allegedly colluding with untrustworthy drivers in what he described as dirty business that is earning them good money.
However, the Director of Petroleum at EWURA, Mr Sirili Massay, said that the authority did not deal with the drivers on transit directly. He said that there were many companies that are supplied with the products by EWURA and might be dealing with such drivers.
Mr Massay said, however, that EWURA would soon introduce special tools that would help detect the petrol and diesel that are nitrified by other products while on transit. Sources from the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) told the Daily News that the authority did not deal with the trucks once they were out of the country.
TRA only monitors the trucks while in the country to ensure the products on transit are not sold in the country. When reached for comments, the Police Spokesperson, Mr Abdallha Mssika said that the police have not yet received the information and promised to make a follow- up.