Eronda
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
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- 492
At least 26 former ministers and 397 former Members of Parliament (MPs) are still holding diplomatic and service passports respectively, despite the end of their terms in office.
Although the validity of the passports issued to them by the government is 10 years, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has directed them to surrender the documents following the expiry of their terms, warning that those who fail to comply risk embarrassment at the airport as the government tightens enforcement of passport regulations.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, only three of the 28 ministers who were dropped have since returned their diplomatic passports and been issued ordinary passports, while none of the 397 MPs who lost their seats have returned their service passports.
Data from Parliament indicates that the 11th Parliament had 529 members; 397 lost their seats in the 2026 General Elections.
Immigration officials said the move targets holders of service and diplomatic passports whose eligibility lapsed when they exited public office but who have continued to retain the documents in violation of existing guidelines governing the issuance and use of official travel papers.
In an interview, Ministry spokesperson Simon Mundeyi confirmed that only three former ministers have complied with the directive by returning their diplomatic passports and are now being issued ordinary passports.
“Thursday, we had some former ministers returning their passports. Some of them returned diplomatic passports, and we are preparing to issue them ordinary passports,” Mr Mundeyi said.
He added that a similar exercise is ongoing for former Members of Parliament still in possession of service passports following the expiry of their parliamentary terms.
“We call upon former Members of Parliament who have been holding service passports. Now that their term of office has ended, the honourable title also ends, and it ends with that passport. We do not expect them to continue using these passports after that,” he explained.
In the passport classification system, MPs are issued green service passports, while the President, Vice President, ambassadors, the Speaker, and senior government officials, including ministers, are entitled to diplomatic passports.
Service passports are issued to MPs in recognition of their official duties and to facilitate VIP movement through airports and border points during their tenure.
However, officials insist that once a term ends, the entitlement automatically ceases and the passport must be surrendered to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Source: Daily Monitor
Although the validity of the passports issued to them by the government is 10 years, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has directed them to surrender the documents following the expiry of their terms, warning that those who fail to comply risk embarrassment at the airport as the government tightens enforcement of passport regulations.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, only three of the 28 ministers who were dropped have since returned their diplomatic passports and been issued ordinary passports, while none of the 397 MPs who lost their seats have returned their service passports.
Data from Parliament indicates that the 11th Parliament had 529 members; 397 lost their seats in the 2026 General Elections.
Immigration officials said the move targets holders of service and diplomatic passports whose eligibility lapsed when they exited public office but who have continued to retain the documents in violation of existing guidelines governing the issuance and use of official travel papers.
In an interview, Ministry spokesperson Simon Mundeyi confirmed that only three former ministers have complied with the directive by returning their diplomatic passports and are now being issued ordinary passports.
“Thursday, we had some former ministers returning their passports. Some of them returned diplomatic passports, and we are preparing to issue them ordinary passports,” Mr Mundeyi said.
He added that a similar exercise is ongoing for former Members of Parliament still in possession of service passports following the expiry of their parliamentary terms.
“We call upon former Members of Parliament who have been holding service passports. Now that their term of office has ended, the honourable title also ends, and it ends with that passport. We do not expect them to continue using these passports after that,” he explained.
In the passport classification system, MPs are issued green service passports, while the President, Vice President, ambassadors, the Speaker, and senior government officials, including ministers, are entitled to diplomatic passports.
Service passports are issued to MPs in recognition of their official duties and to facilitate VIP movement through airports and border points during their tenure.
However, officials insist that once a term ends, the entitlement automatically ceases and the passport must be surrendered to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Source: Daily Monitor
