JINJA - Ugandans seeking to get passports have been asked to utilise the internal affairs ministry regional immigration offices rather than using third parties or brokers who could end up fleecing them.

Ministry spokesman Simon Mundeyi also stressed that, like at the ministry head offices in Kampala, services at the regional centres are free of charge except for the mandatory shillings 250,000 for each ordinary passport.

“Whereas an applicant is meant to pay only shillings 250,000 for the passport, some unscrupulous brokers/middlemen exploit people’s ignorance and make them pay up to shillings one million. This is unacceptable,” Mundeyi said on Friday.

Mundeyi, who was speaking during the commissioning of the Jinja regional immigration office/Passport centre at Busoga Square in Jinja city, also revealed that since the introduction of electronic (e) passports in 2018, there have been no reports of any forgeries.

Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu (middle) after opening the Jinja regional Immigration office/passport centre at Busoga Square in Jinja city on Friday.

“This is because of the high technology and security features used on these passports,” he said, stressing that the system also restored the integrity of the Ugandan passport and phased out its access by non-Ugandans.

Ministry permanent secretary Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu, who was chief guest, said the opening of regional passport centres was in line with the ministry’s commitment to the improvement of service delivery as directed by President Yoweri Museveni.

“Decentralisation of services is also meant to reduce bureaucracy and eliminate corruption tendencies in the issuance of passport and immigration services,” he said.

"Jinja is the fourth regional immigration office/passport centre to be established after Gulu, Mbale and Mbarara while the one for Arua is expected to be opened before the end of the year," Musanyufu said.

“I ask people of Jinja and surrounding areas to utilise this office to acquire passports and other immigration services. You do not need to go to Kampala because all our offices offer the same services. They are all fully equipped and offer efficient and professional services,” he said.

Maj. Gen. Kasita Gowa, the Director of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) was optimistic the regional centres would greatly decongest the head office in Kampala.

“The President has always been emphatic on taking services nearer to the people and this is exactly what we are doing,” he said, adding that the directorate also offers similar services to people in the diaspora from their respective stations.

According to the Jinja regional immigration officer Jacob Siminyu, over 600 passports have so far been issued at the newly established office.

Jinja deputy resident city commissioner Juma Kigongo commended the DCIC staff for their effort to maintain direct contact with clients instead of operating through third parties.

Meanwhile, Mundeyi revealed that on a daily basis, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) collects up to shillings 800 million from passport applicants, which is then taken to the consolidated funds.