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Mr Madzore asked Mr Mudede if the passport fees were going to be reduced at some point to match regional average prices.
“We want the fees to come down but we have to realise there are inputs, which we use in the production of passports, which we import because we don’t manufacture them,” Mr Mudede said.
“It is true that our document (passport) is expensive, compared to those in the region, mainly because we have not been receiving adequate funding from the Government whereas in other African countries, this
department is fully funded by their Governments.
“As we go on and things get better passport fees will come down but at the moment we cannot make a commitment that we are going to reduce the fees.”
The RG said the use of third parties in acquiring some of the passport inputs was causing the production cost to go up.
He said ordinary Zimbabwean passports were cheaper than in some countries in the Middle East and Europe.
He said an ordinary passport costs US$490 in Russia, while in Italy it costs US$281 and US$204 in France.
Mr Mudede said in terms of security and quality, Zimbabwean passports met international standards, which most countries do not meet.
He said all the security features on the passport had been approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which confirmed the document as world compliant.
Mr Mudede said the reason behind the successes was because the department had been allowed to retain all revenue for its activities.
He said had it not been for the 100 percent retention, the department would be closed by now.
The RG also told the legislators that his department was working hard to meet the 2014 e-passport deadline.
Musikavanhu legislator, Mr Prosper Mutseyami (MDC-T), asked the motive behind the RG’s office going to Marange to register members of the Apostolic sects.
It is understood that the MDC-T suspected that the move was meant to prop up Zanu-PF votes in the forthcoming elections among members of the Marange Apostolic sect.
The sect is viewed as pro-Zanu-PF.
In his response, Mr Mudede said there was nothing irregular about the gesture.
He said the department was ready to assist communities when a request was put forward.
“We register people everywhere, there was nothing controversial about it. We responded to a request from members of the Marange executive who wanted us to register them, it was just a civil registration, there were no politicians at all because there was no ulterior motive.
“We have been to many churches and communities, funds permitting we would do the same if we receive such requests,” he said.
Mount Darwin North MP, Cde Dickson Mafios (Zanu-PF), who is a member of the Marange Apostolic sect, said there was nothing wrong with the RG’s office registering Zimbabweans. He said the sect’s leadership had realised that most of their members were not registered and decided to find ways to have them register as Zimbabweans.
Online Reporter