The government will continue charging passport fees in foreign currency, citing the need for the investor to recover the funds invested in the electronic passport system.
President Mnangagwa’s son, David Mnangagwa, who serves as the Deputy Minister of Finance, addressed this issue after Senator Meliwe Phuti questioned why passport fees could not be paid in local currency.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa emphasized the complexity and sensitivity of the issue, stating, “I believe that social contract and the mechanics around it are being discussed. It is a sensitive area that we don’t want to rush or expediently go to without having spoken to all the stakeholders.” He highlighted the importance of honoring contractual agreements, similar to other public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements, noting, “The Government holds the sanctity of contract sacrosanct.”
He explained that before the introduction of the new system, obtaining a passport could take days due to inefficiencies.
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An investor was brought in to streamline the process, part of which involved setting passport fees in foreign currency. These agreements are now being reviewed by the relevant ministries and stakeholders to explore potential adjustments.
The Lithuanian company Garsu Pasaulis, which is the investor in the electronic passport system, played a crucial role in modernizing the passport issuance process. This investment included implementing foreign currency pricing as part of the agreement.
The government is currently examining ways to integrate these arrangements within the Zimbabwean Government (ZiG) domain, while ensuring all stakeholders are consulted and the contractual commitments are respected.
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