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MPs challenge 50,000/- passport fee
2005-07-09 07:29:10
By Pastory Nguvu, Dodoma
Members of Parliament want the government to reduce the passport fee from 50,000/- to at least 20,000/- or 15,000/-, saying the amount is not affordable to the majority.
Debating the Ministry of Home Affairs budget, Khalifa Suleman Khalifa (CUF-Gando,Pemba) said much as the government had defended its decision to charge the amount, citing high costs in producing the travel documents, it should reconsider the price.
’The government should subsidise the documents to enable the ministry lower the price,’ said Khalifa, who is also the shadow minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.
Frank Maghoba (CUF-Kigamboni) advised the
government to reduce the fee to 10,000/- or 15, 000/- at most.
He also urged the speeding up of processing the passports by increasing the number of workers at the Immigration offices in Dar es Salaam.
’The congestion at the Immigration headquarters courts corruption. The two months that an applicant has to wait before receiving the passport makes the whole thing appear absurd,’ the MP said.
Presenting the views of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security, Ireneus.
Ngwatura (Mbinga East-CCM) cautioned the government of a possible ‘foul’ play by foreigners who might take advantage of any loophole to acquire Tanzanian passports.
He presented the views on behalf of John Malecela, the committee’s chairman.
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