The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCI) is grappling with a situation where more than 5,000 passports remain incomplete due to missing details, according to Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Mundeyi disclosed that the majority of the passports with incomplete information are those being processed for children. He emphasized the need for full details of both parents and cited instances where women leave the section for the father’s details blank when processing passports for their children.
One significant reason identified for incomplete father details is cases of incest, with the DCI reporting 52 instances this year where women revealed that their children’s fathers were relatives. Another contributing factor is the complexity of relationships, as some women find it challenging to determine the exact father due to involvement with multiple men. Additionally, some women are left with fatherless children after DNA tests carried out by several men.
Mundeyi highlighted that the DCI has processed 320,000 passports for Ugandans this year. However, the agency is also contending with a substantial backlog of over 40,000 unclaimed passports. Mundeyi attributed the situation to individuals completing online details, making payments, and attending physical interviews but failing to collect the issued passports. The Kyambogo collection center is reportedly full, creating a storage challenge.
In parallel, the DCI has deported a total of 323 illegal foreigners in the current year, primarily from Pakistan, India, and Nigeria. As part of future plans, the Directorate intends to establish passport application and distribution centers in Jinja and Arua in 2024. This initiative aims to alleviate the pressure on the Kampala center and provide more convenient services to citizens across different regions.
