RG’s Office to decentralise

THE Registrar-General’s Office is set to open passport offices in Chitungwiza and Murehwa districts to deal with the large number of people flocking to Harare to apply for travel documents, legislators heard on Monday.

The office said it had reduced the number of passports that it was producing owing to the shortage of foreign currency required to procure consumables such as ink.

This was said by Registrar-General Mr Clement Masango while giving oral evidence before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs chaired by Umzingwane MP Cde Levi Mayihlome (Zanu-PF).

He said the decision to open passport offices in Chitungwiza and Murehwa was strategic to ease congestion in the capital.

“We have reached an agreement with the local authority,” he said. “Why Chitungwiza? In terms of population size it comes after Bulawayo. That is why the central office in Harare is literally clogged.

“We also intend to set up an office in Murehwa. We have identified Murehwa as a quick win. It can address issues of accessibility from people in Mutoko and other areas.”

Mr Masango said the provincial capital of Mashonaland East province was Marondera which posed a nightmare for people in places like Mutoko and Mudzi districts in terms of accessibilty.

He said they were also planning to open an office at Murambinda Growth Point since the one at Buhera, was no longer adequate for the purpose.