H.E Mnangagwa is set to launch Zimbabwe’s e-passport today with the current type of passport issued before the date of operation of e-passport regulations becoming obsolete by 31st December 2023 with need of replacement by e-passports.
The e-passport comes when obtaining a passport in Zimbabwe came with corruption, with a majority of citizens having to pay middlemen to ensure expedient issuing of the much needed document due to a huge backlog and insufficient raw materials to make the passports. People would pay for getting a passport faster as the normal route would take a minimum of one year, if one is lucky.
Corruption and underhand dealings have been reported to be the norm at the passport office at Makombe building in Harare and the introduction of the e-passport is expected to do away with this.
The e-passport is set to help securely identify any and all travellers using them. It will also curb counterfeit passports, has minimal chances of forgery of biometric information stored in the passport. It also ensures enhanced privacy protection and has greater protection against identity theft.
