The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Immigration Directorate will next month open up three regional offices to reduce congestion at its headquarters in Kampala.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs at Old Port Bell Road is surrounded by young men and women seeking passports. Some spend more than five hours in queues while others take a nap under trees outside the ministry.
Several girls told Uganda Radio Network said they are transported to the ministry between 4 am and 6 am from upcountry districts such as Namayingo, Mbale, Sironko, Iganga and Mayuge.
“I was told to come and I fill forms for my passport. I came with 17 other girls. We were transported from Jinja town but we come from different districts. We don’t know the time we shall be leaving this place,” one Aisha Nandudu said.
Jacob Siminyu, the Spokesperson of the Internal Affairs Ministry, blames the labour export companies for the congestion at the immigration directorate.
Siminyu explains that labour export companies know when the girls will be attended to but they decide to bring them very early in the morning.
“We haven’t known the motive of bringing a person as 7 am when her appointment is 3 pm. You should bring your people at least 30 minutes to appointment time. We shall use our means to chase them away,” Siminyu warns.
To reduce the congestion, Siminyu reveals that with effect from next months, regional passport centres in Mbale, Gulu and Arua shall be opened. This, Siminyu, believes, will reduce congestion as several people are ferried from upcountry districts even when they are not on appointment.
“For people who come from the western region, they can utilize Mbarara regional office. We are currently refurbishing Mbale, Gulu and Arua. All these offices will soon be operational and we hope it will reduce numbers at our headquarters,” Siminyu said.
Earlier on, immigration revealed that the number seeking passports daily had hiked. This is attributed to the Covid-19 lockdown where there was no travel abroad since several countries placed travel sanctions.
Before the Covid-19 lockdown, immigration was attending to 400 to 500 people every day. But currently, they handle 800 to 1,200 people in a day. Besides, crowding at Port Bell, immigration has expressed concern about increasing cases of forged Covid-19 test certificates.
Siminyu says they were registering four cases regularly but they have now increased to 10 or more. Travellers have been warned against getting fake certificates because they will not beat systems at the Airport.
Interpol director, Charles Birungi, has also revealed that they have started the process of having centres in various policing regions where people can apply and access certificates of Good Conduct.
Birungi also reveals that numbers at Interpol have soared since October last year when travel sanctions were lifted. Before the Covid-19 lockdown, Interpol was attending to 130 to 180 but these numbers are now over 300 every day.
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