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*Mthuli Ncube Revises Passport Fees*

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Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube made several revisions to his tax proposals in the 2024 national budget.

Ncube steered through his national budget in a sitting of parliament which concluded just before 1 AM on Friday.

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In his 2024 budget statement, Ncube proposed an increase in passport fees from US$120 to US$200 starting from January 2024.

He told lawmakers that he had planned to use the money to install automated passport readers at ports of entry to remove the need for human intervention.

However, MPs objected to the proposed hike and Ncube revised the passport fees. He said:

> On passport fees, we have listened carefully to the contributions from the portfolio chairpersons and Hon. Members that the US$200 is on the high side, and we agree with that.

> It is just that when we were having the discussions about modernising our borders, we wanted to be the first country outside Dubai to have an unmanned border post where you can walk in because now we have an e-passport with a chip in it

> You can walk in and the gates open your passport is read. You do not talk to anybody. We want that equipment here by the end of 2024. We have to be modern. That is what motivated us.

> It is the kind of thinking to say we need resources to support the Ministry of Home Affairs and we thought that increasing passports was one way to do this.

> Someone proposed that rather than US$120 for an ordinary passport, let us make it US$150.

> It is a proposal, but for the express passport, the 24-hour passport, anyone who needs it urgently is often those who can afford it.

> That one should be US$250. I know one Hon. Member who proposed US$350, but let us make it US$250 and I think US$250 is okay.

The budget passed with only ZANU PF MPs present after Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MPs were ejected from parliament and banned for four sittings.

The opposition MPs were sanctioned after singing and heckling when Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda announced Pedzai Sakupwanya as the new MP for Mabvuku-Tafara.

Sakupwanya won the seat by default after the CCC candidate, Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi, who beat him only in August before he was controversially recalled by Sengezo Tshabangu, was barred by the High Court from contesting.

Parliament adjourned until 30 January 2024.

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