The Registrar General has issued a statement with regards to challenges his office is facing in the issuance of passports. In a statement seen by Pindula News, Henry Machiri said there is a technical fault and technicians are working on rectifying it. Reads the statement:
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE REGISTRAR GENERAL ON ISSUANCE OF VITAL CIVIL REGISTRATION AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
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.
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.
Members of the public are also advised to disregard messages circulating on various social media platforms. Any information regarding this matter will be communicated by the Department through its formal channels.
We sincerely apologize for inconveniences caused by this development which we are working around the clock to address.
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. The e-passport project has also been successfully cascaded to Bulawayo, Lupane, Chitungwiza, Murewa and Hwange. Recently, the project was completed in Gweru and Beitbridge; and by end of October 2022, it will be completed in all the provinces.
In August 2022, the Department resumed clearance of the passport backlog of 176 000 which was backdated from July 2019. The backlog has been reduced to 80 000 and will be cleared by end of September 2022.
The mobile registration exercise is also currently underway and to date, more than 2 000 000 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.
The Civil Registry Department remains committed to continue improving service delivery for the benefit of (the) citizens of Zimbabwe.
H. T. Machiri
Registrar General