Veep to ‘intervene’ in passport crisis
Vice-President Saulos Chilima says he will intervene on the passport crisis that has long haunted the country by rendering his advice using existing structures in the public service.
In a March 25 2024 response to the civil society’s concerns about his absence in a time of crisis, Chilima, through Office of the Vice-President Principal Secretary Lucky Sikwese said he will move to engage the concerned ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
The Veep, however, said he will take action as need may arise and upon delegation.
Reads in part the response: “The Vice-President is fully aware of the challenges Malawians are facing. The Vice-President, therefore, acknowledges your call for him to take some action to ensure that there is improved service delivery in the passport issuing and other areas of concern.”
The response comes days after the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) wrote to Chilima, asking him to visit the Directorate of Road Traffic Department, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services and the National Registration Bureau to get firsthand information on the challenges facing the said MDAs.
In the letter dated February 29 2024, Cdedi executive director Sylvester Namiwa said given the urgency of the matter at hand, the Veep’s visit to the three departments would be crucial to assisting President Lazarus Chakwera address the glitches that have marred issuance of documents at the departments.
The call also comes as passport applicants are yet to start getting their documents at Immigration Department offices across the country despite announcement this month that the hacked system had been restored and printing of the document has resumed.
