JAYSON KARAN
The Bulawayo Registry Offices continued to be haunted by a poor customer service as passport applicants continue to express disgruntlement and disappointment at the arrogance of some officials, claiming corruption has become normal at the government offices.
The applicants who have been visiting the offices for passport application recently claim that the officials are now so corrupt such that most of them are dealing with touts that are making unending trips in and out of their offices, raising suspicion that touts were part of the corruption stinking pact.
According to some of the applicants, many of these who cannot afford to pay for ‘speed up fees’ resort to queuing for the service as early as three o’clock in the morning so as to be served.
Some even sleep by the fence to avoid being harmed on their way to the Passport Office.
“I had a terrible experience at Bulawayo Passport Office on last week Wednesday. I arrived early in the morning before the gates were opened for the public to enter,” said a disgruntled applicant.
“We sat on the bench and we were given papers with numbers at around ten in morning as we were told that we might not get any service that day because of the balance of numbers of those who were not served on Monday, and at around 2 pm we were told to come back on Wednesday as we were late for that day,”
Others who were told to return on Wednesday claimed that they arrived early in the morning but they could not be served again that day.
“As we were told to do, we came back on Wednesday and the man who issued the same papers with numbers left us. As were about to be served, that same person went to the gate to fetch some people who were behind us and sent them to the office and were served first and processed their papers,” said the applicant.
“They even ignored a man who was in-front on a wheelchair and continued with those who were applying for US$220,” the applicant complained.
According to others, this trend continued as the official liaised with touts as he continued herding for the gate and bringing more people and placing them ahead of those who had slept outside.
Surprisingly the officer announced that they had issued adequate numbers for that particular day, yet he brought more applicants from the gate.
“All this happened while we just stood there helplessly. The man finally came back and told us that they were closing and we should try another time,” said the applicant.
He was rude and lacked courtesy.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the regional registrar was fruitless as her landline was not answered.
However, in an interview the Registrar-General, Henry Machiri said there were some bad elements working from within who were trying to bring the office into disrepute and such officials were going to be brought to book.
The Registrar-General stressed that the e-passport system was designed for everyone in the country and there was no place for corruption.