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An official from the immigration department within the Ministry of Internal Affairs revealed that the government is collecting at least Shs800 million every day from its four regional offices and headquarters in Kampala.
Last Friday marked the opening of a new passport office in Jinja City by the directorate of citizenship and immigration control. This office, serving the Busoga sub-region and the Eastern part of the country, joins existing regional offices in Gulu, Mbale, and Mbarara.
The responsibilities of the new regional office include issuing new e-passports, personalization and issuance of permits and passes, visa issuance, renewals, and extensions, as well as inspection and legal services as part of the decentralization program.
Ministry of Internal Affairs Spokesperson Simon Mundeyi highlighted that the introduction of these services aims to eliminate bureaucracy previously associated with engaging Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), LC1, and LC2 chairpersons.
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Mundeyi further noted that the immigration department currently generates Shs800 million in revenue daily, which is directed to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). The implementation of an e-system has effectively eradicated cases of duplicate passports.
With the capacity to issue 3,000 passports per day, the newly-opened Jinja service center has significantly increased accessibility to passport services. This, coupled with the efficiency of the e-passport application system, has led to a rise in both revenue and the number of passport applicants.
According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, over one million e-passports have been issued since their introduction in December 2018.
Maj Gen Apollo Kasiita-Gowa, the director of immigration and citizenship control, emphasized that the decentralization program aims to alleviate congestion at the Kampala office and bring services closer to the people. The rollout of regional offices, starting with Mbarara, Mbale, Gulu, and now Jinja, reflects this objective.
Lt Gen Joseph Musanyufu, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, encouraged locals to utilize these regional immigration services rather than traveling to Kampala, which contributes to congestion.
Regional manager Jacob Siminyu reported that the Jinja center has issued 600 passports since its inception and warned against engaging middlemen for passport acquisition. He emphasized a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption within their office.
Residents of Jinja City expressed excitement over the development, anticipating reduced costs and time associated with accessing immigration services.
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