By Zivanai Dhewa

Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe has dispelled rumours making the rounds on social media that local patrons are to pay for their emergency one day passports using the United States Dollars (USD).

The minister said this today during his tour of the passport production centre in Harare today.

Speaking during a question and answer session, Minister Kazembe said, “Those who are allowed to pay USD318 for now are only the diasporans, those who are working in the diaspora and are earning in USD, and it’s only for the emergency passport. 

“However, we have had request from people who are saying but we also have our free funds, can we also pay USD318 for the emergency passport as we have business commitments.  Currently it is not legal to accept that money but we are working on that to make it legal for us to accept that money,” he added.

Addressing the issue of corruption, Minister Kazembe said local consumers should report whenever they are asked to pay in foreign currency as it fuels corruption.

“For as long as you are a local and you are in Zimbabwe, and you pay in foreign currency, it’s not legal, the currency that is legal tender in Zimbabwe is the Zimbabwean dollar (ZW$),” added minister Kazembe.

He concluded by stressing that the passport charges have not yet been changed and they remain the same at ZW$53 for an ordinary passport, ZW$253 for a three day passport and ZW$318for a one day passport.

Present during his tour was the Deputy Minister, Mike Madiro, the Permanent Secretary Mr Aaron Nhepera, the Registrar General Mr Clement Masango and his Deputy Registrar Mr Henry Machiri.