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Mr Mudede

Herald Reporter
The Registrar General’s Office has intensified the issuance of passports countrywide to cope with the ever increasing demand for travel documents.

The office is now issuing an average of 2 241 passports daily up from 1 936 in 2012.

Addressing journalists in Harare on Wednesday, Registrar General Mr Tobaiwa Mudede said the increase in production was in line with the Zim Asset which seeks to eliminate queues at the passport office and ensure that people get travel documents within 10 days.

Mr Mudede said his office opened registry offices in other areas to de-congest Harare.

“We are issuing passports within a day and in three days,” he said. “The other passport is presently issued within four weeks from the standard time of six months. The department continues to work towards meeting the 10 day target for ZimAsset.”

Mr Mudede said people should make use of provincial passport offices to acquire travel documents.

He said there was a misconception that documents could be facilitated faster in Harare than other provinces.

“Some people believe that coming to Harare will speed up passport application process,” he said. “People should utilise our existing passport offices in the provinces, thereby decongesting Harare.

“External passport applications are also being submitted through the Gwanda, Bulawayo and Gweru provincial offices. The completion of the Central Registry building which is now up at 98 percent will enable us to open more windows for passport applicants.”

Mr Mudede said they intended install management of queue electronic equipment and sitting facilities for the public at the new offices.

He said his office had also connected other Government departments to have access to specific information in their database.

Mr Mudede said he had no qualms with the new Constitution which required the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to take over voter registration from his office.

“We are aware of the provisions of the new Constitution that Zec will take over registration,” he said. “We do not have any problems complying with the supreme law of the land.”