The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
THE Department of Civil Registry has engaged a contractor to work on the e-passport office which will be housed at Chipinge Government Complex.
The move is part of Government’s efforts to decentralise the issuance of electronic passports to all provincial offices.
Chipinge District will be the first district in Manicaland to issue the critical travelling documents.
Speaking during the tour of the Registry Office last week, Manicaland Provincial Registrar, Ms Joyce Munamati said Government has already engaged a contractor to work on the project which is expected to start this month.
Ms Munamati said the programme is part of the department’s 100-day cycle projects.
“We have brought the contractors and they are here to assess and map the way forward towards setting up the infrastructure.
“Chipinge has pioneered this service in Manicaland, and we believe this will help so many people in Manicaland and the neighbouring Masvingo Province.
“The project is feeding into the 100-day cycle projects programme in the Civil Registry Department.
“It is also a fulfilment of President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving now one and no place behind in the development of this country.
“As you can witness, the e-passport office is being launched deep down and far away from the major city centres,” she said.
Since the temporary closure of passport offices in Mutare, people from Manicaland were travelling to either Marondera or Harare to acquire a passport.
Speaking during the same event, Chipinge District Development Coordinator, Mr William Mashava welcomed the development, and said the other registry services will continue as usual while the e-passport office is being set up.
“This will ensure that Chipinge will be a one-stop registry service centre,” said Mr Mashava.
The e-passport programme was launched by President Mnangagwa on December 14, 2021 and Department of Civil Registry started issuing the e-passports at Central Registry in Harare on January 18, 2022.
