Horror experience at Zimbabwe passport office

REPORTS of poor service delivery continue to haunt the Bulawayo registry offices with passport applicants expressing disappointment at the alleged arrogance of some officials, claiming corruption has become commonplace.

Residents who visited the offices recently claimed that officials at the office were dealing with touts that make unending trips in and out of the offices, raising suspicion that touts were facilitating corruption for speedy processing of passport applications. Some applicants have resorted to queueing as early at 4 AM so as to be served.

"I had a terrible experience at the Bulawayo Passport Office on Wednesday, 19 April 2023. I arrived there in the early hours before the gates were opened to the public. We sat on the benches. Papers with numbers were issued and at 10am we were told that we might not all be served because the balance of the numbers was reserved for those who were not served on Monday the 17th. I had reported at the passport office at 2 PM on Monday and I was told that I was late and to report back on 19 April.

"So on Wednesday, the man issuing out these numbers left us on the benches. I was now on the third bench close to being served. He walked towards the gate and brought in some people whom he ushered to the serving desk and he processed their forms while the other man who was already checking the forms continued to do so but serving the ones that were applying for US$220 passports. There was a man in a wheelchair who was ignored all this time. I don't know what finally happened to this man but I left him unattended and no service was being offered at this juncture.

"After serving the first group that had been brought in from the gate, and was not in the queue, the man went back for the second group of people and he did a third trip. We watched him do all this until he finished. He was left with some sheets of paper with the numbers written on and he walked into the birth and death certificates office.

"Two people that were in the queue just in front of me stood up and followed him, they never came back to the queue. God knows what transpired in that office. All this was happening while we helplessly watched. Finally, the man returned to announce that the numbers for the day were finished and that we should go and try some other time," said a disgruntled applicant.

However, in an interview, the Registrar-General, Mr Henry Machiri said there were some bad elements working from within who were trying to bring the office into disrepute. He said such officers were going to be brought to book.

"The system is uniform throughout the country when you want to apply for a passport. Your documents are verified, you make payments (US$120 or US$220), you do your biometrics and you submit your forms, it is that simple and there should be no other payment outside of the stipulated fees. If there are people demanding facilitation fees then that is corruption and criminal, they must be reported straight to the police if found out," said Mr Machiri.

Residents also lamented the limited number of people who were assisted each day saying a number system was not serving any purpose than to crowd the offices. Furthermore, the Registrar-General said there was no cut-off time for accessing passports as reported.

"The system is open from morning till the end of the business, if you go any time of the day you are supposed to apply for your passport with no challenges. There is no one who must be turned away except when the banking system is down. The numbering system that is used is simply to control the crowds so that there is no cheating and people are served according to their numbers. However, we do not want to disadvantage those that will have been turned away the previous day following challenges in the banking system so we give them first preference and they resume their application process but this does not always happen," said Mr Machiri.

The RG stressed that the e-passport system was designed to cater for everyone who wishes to access the document and there was no place for corruption.

"You mention a facilitation fee being paid in secret, which can only be possible if the touts at the passport offices are working with insiders from the passport office and we are saying that is criminal and anyone who is made to pay must report to the police station. We want to flush out those individuals who are taking people's money. The only amount to be paid is for the passport and form, only US$120 or US$220 respectively," he said.