Angry Teachers Clash With Police Over Stoppage Order

Riot police yesterday fired in the air to rescue Tanzania Teachers Union officials who came under attack by angry colleagues protesting against the cancellation of their strike that was scheduled to start today. TTU president Gratian Mukoba and the secretary general Yahya Msulwa were whisked away to safety in a police Land Rover amid a hail of missiles including stones and water bottles thrown at them. But efforts by the law enforcers could not stop hundreds of angry teachers from causing extensive damage by smashing furniture at the Diamond Jubilee Hall, the venue of the acrimonious meeting. "Why the heavy police presence. We are not criminals," shouted a sobbing woman teacher. She said teachers in the country have been marginalised, insulted and exploited for many years and were now fed up. "Enough is enough," she shouted. They also vandalised vehicles belonging to the union officials that were packed outside the meeting venue that was turned into a war zone. Some teachers pelted police officers with water bottles. Some teachers lay in the middle of the street to show their anger. Teachers' officials drawn form all over the country had met to plan today's strike. They arrived in the city before the Government won an urgent court injunction barring the strike action. But teachers vowed to press on with the strike despite the court order. The fracas started when Mr Mukoba attempted to persuade the teachers to obey the court order that stopped their strike. Chanting teachers jeered him and one snatched the microphone from the master of ceremony to declare they will not turn back. The TTU officials were branded traitors before a rain of bottles and chairs began flying around. The police arrived immediately to bring the situation under control. The teachers are demanding payment of Sh16 billion in allowance arrears and want the Government to implement a host of other demands. But Judge William Mandia of the Labour Division of the High Court on Monday halting the planned strike. TTU have lodged a counter appeal which comes up for hearing later this week. Meanwhile, teachers in Mwanza said they would proceed with the strike action today irrespective of the court order. Meeting in Shinyanga yesterday, the teachers said they will not be cowed by threats of sacking from education or regional government authorities. They said they will stay out of classrooms and suffer the consequences until the State addressed their plight, urging union leaders not to turn back. The said the strike could only be called off after a vote by the more than 2,500 teachers. "Teachers in Mwanza are set to strike today and expects their leaders to be in the frontline," a male teacher who wished not to be named said. Mwanza TTU chairman John Kafimbi who addressed the angry teachers, said the union agreed with them. He asked the teachers to meet today at Ghand Hall in the morning to chart the way forward. "The Government owes public servants about Sh23 billion out of which Sh16 billion is for teachers alone. This shows how insensitive our leaders are," the TTU official said. Lake zone Research and Academic Workers Union (Raawu) secretary general Ramadhan Mwendwa said teachers' demands will not come easily and asked members to be ready to suffer for it. Additional reporting by Paulina David in Mwanza.