E-passport: Nearly half a million Ugandans cant’ fly out of country
Nearly half a million Ugandans can’t fly out of the country for not having renewed their old machine readable passports which were phased out on April, 4, 2022, to the new electronic East African passports, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has revealed.
In December 2018, the Ugandan government set January, 31, 2021 as the deadline for phasing out of the old machine readable passports for the electronic East African passports.
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However, the deadline was extended to April,4, 2022 which expired last week.
Addressing journalists on Monday, the Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson, Simon Mundeyi explained that records indicate that a total of one million Ugandans were issued with the old machine readable passports but noted only 550,000 of these have applied for the new electronic East African passports.
“Our records indicate that 450,000 Ugandans have not renewed their old machine readable passports to the electronic East African passports,” Mundeyi told journalists.
“The old machine readable passports stopped being in use after the expiry of the April, 4, 2022 deadline. Ugandans with these old passports will not be allowed to fly out of the country. If you go to the airport(Entebbe), you will not be allowed to fly out of the country. Exit of the country will only be possible with the electronic East African passport.”
The Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson however said that the 450,000 Ugandans who are yet to renew their old machine readable passports can at any time renew them to ensure they get the electronic ones.
“Renewing of the old passports has not stopped. The process of phasing out of the old passports doesn’t mean we can’t issue new passports. Anyone can renew their old machine readable passports to new ones at any time they want. The 450,000 can at any time renew their old passports for new ones,”Mundeyi said.
“Ugandans only renew their passports when they have an upcoming flight out of the country. I want to believe that those who haven’t renewed their old machine readable passports to electronic ones see no hurry in renewing their passports and will do it when they have a flight.”
EAC deadline
The East African Community (EAC) last week extended the deadline for use of old passports to November 2022 .
The decision to extend the deadline was passed by the council of ministers for members states during their 41st ordinary meeting at Arusha, Tanzania.
The move has seen many Ugandans especially those who are yet to renew their old machine readable passports to speak in tongues over the expiry of the deadly by the Ugandan government.
When asked whether the Ugandan government is not acting illegal by phasing out the old machine readable passports when the East African deadline is yet to expire, the Internal Affairs spokesperson said everything is done in accordance with the law.
“What we did by phasing out the old machine readable passports is not in any way contravening the provisions of the East African Community. The Ugandan government took a position to phase out the old passports earlier than what the EAC provided. We are doing it within the provisions of the EAC protocol,”Mundeyi said.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson however noted that Ugandans abroad are allowed to return home using the old machine readable passports but noted these will have to renew them before they can fly back abroad.
