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Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
As Government continues walking the talk on leaving no one and no place behind, the Chipinge District Civil Registry Department has began issuing e-passports at the Chipinge Government Complex.
The new development will benefit Manicaland and some parts of the neighbouring Masvingo Province.
For more than a year, people from Manicaland were being forced to travel to either Harare or Marondera to acquire their travelling documents as the province had temporarily closed the provincial passport office in Mutare to pave way for the construction of a new complex.
The renovations of the Chipinge District Civil Registry took just a year to complete as work commenced on July 13, 2022.
This week, The Manica Post visited the Chipinge Government Complex and witnessed a number of people applying for their e-passports.
For one to acquire the important document, applicants pay US$120 at CBZ Bank, which is located at the same complex.
Applicants collect their passports after seven working days.
A pre-trial run for seven applicants was held last week and they are now proud owners of the e-passports.
Chipinge District Registrar, Mr Austin Dube confirmed the commencement of the issuance of e-passports in the district.
In an interview, assistant Chipinge District Development Coordinator, Mr Tedius Beto said the project was among the 100-Day Cycle priority projects implemented by the Second Republic.
“The project is part of the Civil Registry Department’s100-Day Cycle projects for this year. It was supervised by the local district public works department, and we are happy with the pace at which the project was done,” he said.
Incoming Chipinge Central Member of Parliament, Honourable Ray Machingura toured the facility last week and said the new e-passport offices will ensure that quality service is delivered in remote areas in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving noone and no place behind.
“The opening of the e-passport offices in Chipinge are some of the success stories of the Second Republic. This goes in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving noone and no place behind.
“These offices bring the registration and passport facilities at the doorsteps of marginalised communities who used to fork out large sums of money to travel long distances to apply for such documents.
“I am confident that the Registry Department will continue delivering quality services to the people as they are not only serving the Chipinge community, but Manicaland Province at large,” he said.
Interviewed residents and local stakeholders hailed the Government for walking the talk by decentralising Government services to local communities.
Chipinge Business Initiative (CBI) chairperson, Mr James Gabaza said the issuance of e-passports in Chipinge is commendable as this will promote trade with neighbouring countries.
“We are grateful with what Government has done for the Chipinge community. Our district is a border town with local business people trading with neighbouring countries such as Mozambique and South Africa.
“We hope that the opening of the e-passport offices will see small business people acquiring this important document and boosting their businesses,”said Mr Gabaza.
One of the first applicants of the e-passport, Mrs Enia Sithole, a vendor from Gaza suburb, could not hide her joy after acquiringe the important travelling document.
“Travelling long distances to acquire a passport is now a thing of the past for the people of Chipinge and surrounding communities. People used to travel to Harare or Marondera to get a passport, but now the office is at our doorstep. I just walked from my home in Gaza to Chipinge Government Complex, and it took me less than an hour to apply for the e-passport.
“This is commendable, and we hope more services will also be decentralised to district offices,” she said.
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