The ministry of International Affairs Spokesperson Simon Peter Mundeyi has urged Ugandans with no urgent travel plans to delay processing passports.
According to Mundeyi, the move aims to reduce on the long queues at the Passport Office in Kyambogo.
The Internal Affairs mouthpiece made these remarks while addressing journalists on Monday, during the joint security press conference at the Naguru Police headquarters.
“I call upon Ugandans who don't have a journey to postpone processing passports to avoid long queues,” Mundeyi said.
Mundeyi also Ugandans to stop trekking from other regions to process passports in Kampala, saying that they should use regional offices in their areas.
"Passports issued in the regional passport centres are not inferior. If you are in Western, utilise Mbarara office, those in East, utilise Mbale and Jinja that are coming up and those in Northern, Gulu," Mundeyi added.
His comments come at a time when several stakeholders are complaining over the long queues at the Passports Office, despite several changes in the immigrations department.
Mundeyi said that the long queues have indeed cast them in “bad light” and urged those with no urgent need for passports to wait.
“Some people think that because we said that deadline for old passports is in April, therefore we shall stop issuing new passports so they are all coming at once, no we shall continue issuing the new blue passports even after April," Mundeyi added.
Immigration announced earlier this year that the old black passports will be phased out in April this year, and Mundeyi said that the announcement is the main cause of the long queues as people rush to get new passports before deadline.
He also urged the public to only turn up at the passport office with an appointment.
"Only make a trip to the ministry of Internal Affairs if you have an appointment or if you are in dire need of documents. Congestion is casting us in bad light," he said.
