Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS)

Failure to remit administration fees on time has been singled out as the main cause of the recent suspension of two vehicles inspection firms that earlier inspected cars in Dubai and London before shipment to the country, the Guardian has been told.

The suspension of the two firms came about six months after the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and Parliament through the Public Corporations Accounts Committee entered into conflict over the non-existence of cars inspections companies abroad.

According to an advertisement published in newspapers about two weeks ago, the Tanzania Bureauof Standards (TBS) revoked the licenses of Jaffer Mohammed Ali Garage based in Dubai, UAE for inspecting the quality of cars destined for the country.

The TBS axe also fell on another car inspection company called WTN Utility Services Ltd that was charged with the responsibility of inspecting cars in London, United Kingdom prior to their shipping to Tanzania.

A TBS official who preferred anonymity on the grounds of not being the spokesperson, said that over the weekend that TBS canceled the licenses of the two firms after they failed to remit administration fees on time, amounting US $200,000 ( TSh 380 million).

The official maintained that failure to remit the said fee amounted to abuse of office and that it was contrary to work rules and regulations set by the bureau as per the contracts signed with them. The two firms violated the rules and regulations No. 11/2/B of the standardization as stipulated by the law in 2009, the sources noted.

The financial anomaly was discovered by TBS technical inspectors who were sent to the two countries to inspect the firms’ transactions and found the said amount accumulated but without being remitted to the country.

Having canceled the license of Jaffer Mohammed Ali Garage for car inspection in Dubai, the Bureau appointed M/s Jabal Kilimanjaro Auto Elect Mechanical Company also based in Sharjar, UAE to perform those duties.

As for inspection of cars originating from UK the Bureau advised car dealers and customers to seek advice from the Vehicle Operator Services Agency (VOSA).

However, TBS has cautioned that all vehicles imported from both transit points without valid inspection certificate from their newly appointed representatives shall not be allowed to enter into the country.

Another mistake which was discovered by the TBS vehicle inspectors in their operations while in UK is that their former representative was found to be operating in three main areas without TBS notice, contrary to the agreement signed.

When asked to verify what impact the decision by the TBS will have, the TBS official said “the impact of this is that the companies whose licenses have been revoked would lose credibility and their status would fall internationally.”

The Public Corporation Accounts Committee, which raised concern on the issue of transit vehicles from Hong Kong, was told that TBS does not have a vehicles inspector as earlier demanded by the sacked former TBS Director General Charles Ekelege.

“The TBS is expected to give a report in Parliament as in connection with the issue and the full report would be made available thereafter,” the sources added.