By Isaac Salima:
Some passport applicants from the Southern Region have accused some officials at the Department of Immigration and Citizen Services of harassing and assaulting them whenever they want to check on the status of their passports.
The people—who stormed The Times Group headquarters along Scott Road, Ginnery Corner, in Blantyre— claimed that some immigration officials have, since last week, been hostile to them.
“Last week, people thronged the Immigration Department headquarters in Blantyre, where they wanted to check on the status of their passports. Since then, when applicants visit the offices, some officials have been unfriendly to them.
“When I went there last week Wednesday, they invited me into a room as if they wanted to assist me. Instead, they threatened me with a stick,” claimed Mary Mangame from Mulanje District.
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Ndirande Township-based Bertha Gusalo said she applied for a passport in May last year but the travel document has not been issued to this day.
“Today [yesterday], we went there and when one of us went inside the offices, some of the officers started beating him up. As we are speaking, he has been locked up in a room. We just want to know when our passports will be ready but they are not telling us anything,” said the Blantyre resident.
Patrick Boniface from Nsanje District said that they have spent more time following up on passport issues than they have on productive work.
“Considering that I come from Nsanje, I have been spending a lot of money on accommodation. This is unfair,” Boniface said.
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When we called Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services spokesperson Wellington Chiponde for a comment, he asked us to phone him later as he was locked up in a meeting.
The country has been facing challenges in the printing and issuance of passports following the termination of a contract with supplier TechnoBrain Global.
Due to low stock of booklets, the Immigration Department announced, in March this year, that it had suspended issuance of the passport and collection of application fees in Blantyre, Mangochi, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.
Last week, some irate service users invaded the Immigration Department’s headquarters in Blantyre, demanding improved service delivery.
