DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Tuesday sacked the Commissioner for Labor, Hilda Kabisa, who is responsible for issuing work permits for foreign expatriates.
A statement by the Directorate of Presidential Communication at State House said Kabisa was replaced with a senior official from the Attorney General's Chambers.
The statement did not give reason for the dismissal, but the move comes just two months after the president said work permits were being issued to undeserving foreigners without due process being followed.
The statement said President Magufuli has appointed Gabriel Malata as the new Labor Commissioner in the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Youth and the Disabled.
Malata previously served as a principal state attorney and assistant director in the Attorney General's Chambers.
"Malata replaces Hilda Nkanda Kabisa whose appointment has been revoked," the president's office said in the statement without giving details.
President Magufuli first appointed Kabisa as Labor Commissioner in March 2016. She previously worked as an assistant director in the President's Office, Public Service Management.
State House said Magufuli also dismissed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Sihaba Nkinga, replacing her with John Kiang'u Jingu.
Jingu previously served as a lecturer in political science and public administration at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).
In July, Magufuli ordered the newly-appointed Minister for Home Affairs, KangiLugola, to work closely with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Youth and the Disabled to tackle fraud in the issuance of work permits.
The president said work permits were being loosely issued to foreigners contrary to regulations.
There have long been complaints of corruption and other irregularities in the issuance of work permits in the country.
The government recently introduced an online work permit application process and launched a new initiative where decisions on work permits are uploaded on the Labor Ministry's website.
The ministry's website has posted several lists with names of individuals to indicate the status of their applications and clearly indicated which work permits have been granted, rejected or deferred.
