Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
THE Civil Registry Department targets to clear the 80 000 passports backlog by end of next month while more than two million citizens have been issued with national documents in the ongoing mobile issuance blitz. The department said it is in the process of fixing its e-passport machine, which developed a technical fault.
Zimbabwe launched the e-passport model last year following a partnership with Lithuanian Garsu Pasaulis. Since January this year 140 000 passports have been issued with the services being offered in Harare, Bulawayo, Lupane, Chitungwiza, Murewa, Hwange, Gweru and Beitbridge.
In a statement yesterday, Registrar General Mr Henry Machiri said the Civil Registry Department commenced clearing passport backlog this month, which had reached 176 000.
“In August 2022, the department resumed clearance of the passport backlog of 176 000, which was backdating from July 2019. The backlog has been reduced to 80 000 and will be cleared by end of September 2022,” said Mr Machiri.
He said the department was in the process of dealing with a technical fault, which is affecting the production of e-passport.
“The Civil Registry Department wishes to inform its valued clients and stakeholders that the Department is currently experiencing challenges in the issuance of vital civil registration and travel documents due to a technical fault,” he said.
“Our technicians are working tirelessly to rectify the situation and members of the public are urged to remain calm and bear with us during this time.”
Mr Machiri said they were working around the clock to return the situation to normalcy. “The department in collaboration with the partner Garsu Pasaulis (GP) has made significant improvements in the issuance of electronic passports (e-passports) and since January 2022, a total of 140 000 passports have been issued,” he said.
“The e-passport project has also been successfully cascaded to Bulawayo, Lupane, Chitungwiza, Murewa and Hwange.”
Mr Machiri said by the end of the year all the country’s provinces will be offering e-passport services having been launched in Gweru and Beitbridge recently.
He encouraged citizens to take advantage of the ongoing issuance of national documents blitz, which commenced in April ending at the end of next month.
“The mobile registration exercise is also currently underway and to date, more than two million civil registration documents that is birth certificates, death certificates and national identity documents have been issued.
“The programme is expected to be completed by 30 September 2022,” said Mr Machiri.
He said his department remains committed to improving service delivery for the benefit of citizens of Zimbabwe. — @nqotshili
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