The Ministry of Internal Affairs has said that it is currently facing a challenge with a minimum of 80 passport applications that remain incomplete, as applicants, alleged to be children of close biological relatives, have provided insufficient information.
Simon Mundeyi, the ministry spokesperson, revealed that the owners of these passports are reportedly linked to incest cases and have refused to furnish the necessary details, causing a backlog in the application process.
“We have many passports which have been deferred and are pending because of insufficient information. What is surprising is that one of the key reasons is the failure to respond to questions put across by passport officers,” said Mundeyi.
He clarified that the current situation stems from a discrepancy in information, specifically the failure to provide accurate details consistent with the data submitted to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) for national ID issuance.
As part of the passport processing procedure, officers verify that the information, particularly regarding parents or guardians, aligns with the details provided during the national ID application.
“We have heard very unique cases because there is a lot of incest going on as women sire children with their own fathers and brothers. They cannot feel free to put that information in the passport application system,” Mundeyi explained.
He cited a recent case where a lady, seeking a passport for her son who had received a scholarship to study in Canada, discovered she had provided inaccurate information about the child’s father, who happened to be her elder brother.
“Such cases are coming up and complicating passport work,” Mundeyi said.
Mundeyi advised applicants to communicate such sensitive issues with officers at the passport office to ensure a smoother and more accurate application process.