Written by Richard Kayenda
It is no longer a secret that the Malawi’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has for a long time been milking Malawians by making them pay for passports at an exorbitant price which would otherwise be at K14, 000 per ordinary copy.
According to some impeccable sources, what the State Vice President Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima used to say in his campaign rallies that a passport can be reduced from K80, 000 to as low as K14, 000 is not only possible but also realistic.
This, therefore, means that government through the passport issuing department has been punishing innocent Malawians by pegging the passport charges at the highest peak, possibly making it the most expensive document in Africa.
The source further discloses that the department purchases a passport book from Techno Brain at K2, 764. 20. But how its final charge skyrockets to K80, 000 or higher is not only puzzling but questionable at the same time.
It is, thus, an open secret that part of what Malawians have been paying for the document, was going into the pockets of some individuals within the ranks and file of the department.
No wonder, then, that this department, just like the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services, Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and other departments, is well known for corruption in the country.
Comments
3 responses to “Malawians duped on passport charges”
Some of these silly arguments need to stop. The passport charge is one way governments around the world collect revenue which in much needed in a poor country like Malawi where donors no longer support us. Any government can put the passport charge they want depending on their priorities. If Chilima was serious, let the passport be
K14, 000 immediately. Let’s wait and see whether with such wayward promises the TONSE government will be able to collect enough revenue to run public services.
Some of these silly arguments need to stop. The passport charge is one way governments around the world collective revenue which in much needed in a poor country like Malawi where donors no longer support us. Any government can put the charge they want depending on their priorities. If Chilima was serious, let the passport be M14, 000 immediately. Let’s wait and see whether with such wayward promises the TONSE government will be able to collect enough revenue to run public services.
One way is not stealing from the poor.The poor are the one who are paying such exobirate money.therefore it must be stopped rightway.