THE government has allayed fears that passport fees will be
hiked soon, making the travel document inaccessible to ordinary citizens who
are bearing the brunt of a collapsing economy.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Home Affairs
minister, Kazembe Kazembe said passports were essential documents that citizens
were supposed to have.
“Passports are documents which our citizens are supposed to
have, so government will still be subsidising them, but we are simply saying
the fees people are paying are not sustainable.”
He dismissed rumours on social media that passports had
gone up from $53 to $530.
“I am not aware of it, the fees haven’t gone up. The last
time we spoke about it, that issue was raised and I simply mentioned that there
was need to discuss, and consider (it).”
“The fees we are currently using were arrived at in 2010
when the exchange rate was US$1:$1, but basically now you would appreciate that
the exchange rate is now at US$1 as to $15 or $16 and yet people are still
paying the same fees compared to when it was 1:1”
The ministers said all consumables were imported and costs
were in foreign currency and there is need to revisit the fee.
“There may be need to revisit that, but that hasn’t been
done yet. If that is to be done it needs to go through proper channels, there
are procedures to be followed and gets to a stage where the fees and increases
have been approved and then we notify the citizens. As of now the local fees
haven’t gone up,” he said.
“I would not know exactly the amount needed, that is a
technical question and the Registrar-General would have the best answer. All I
know is that costs are way more than what people are currently paying so the
government is actually subsiding.’
The registry department is currently charging diasporans
who require passports to pay in forex. Kazembe said so far, as of Thursday last week, 47
diasporans had applied for passports and also collected them in 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the government has been engaging the Russian
government to seek possible avenues of co-operation that would benefit the
country. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the two
governments.
The areas include the economy, technology and education
where currently 36 students are in Russia for short-term courses. Newsday
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