By James Gwati – The Harare Passport office is embroiled in a corruption scandal, with reports emerging of officers demanding bribes from applicants seeking urgent passports.

The Civil Registry Department’s struggle to clear the mounting backlog has led to chaos and allegations of bribery within the government agency.

On Monday, pandemonium ensued at the Harare Passport office as an influx of Zimbabweans, grappling with economic hardships, flooded the premises in a bid to secure travel documents.

Disturbing accounts revealed that individuals queuing for the essential documents were being solicited for bribes ranging from US$30 to US$50 as facilitation fees.

During the holiday season, the Passport office experienced a surge in new applications and renewals, with schoolchildren and members of the diaspora constituting a significant portion of the applicant pool.

Despite the Civil Registry’s efforts to process applications before the year’s end, maintaining the previous fee structure of US$120 for an ordinary passport, the reality on the ground contradicted official claims of clearing the backlog.

Numerous hopeful applicants, anticipating the receipt of their passports, were reportedly turned away.

Official statistics disclosed that a staggering 92,313 Zimbabweans applied for e-passports between December 1 and December 31 of the preceding year.

Originally slated to increase to US$200 on January 1, ordinary passport fees were later revised to US$150.

As of the latest report, fees remain unchanged, with officials citing delays in implementing proposed national budget fee figures.

Amidst this turmoil, only those collecting processed passports and entry numbers were granted entry into the department, underscoring the mounting pressure on government services.

The revelations illuminate the urgent need for a streamlined and efficient passport processing system to cope with the escalating demand, as the state of affairs continues to raise serious concerns.