Agroup of passport seekers has petitioned President Lazarus Chakwera to fire Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and Immigration chief Charles Kalumo within 15 days for allegedly failing the nation.

The group, under the banner Concerned Citizens of Malawi, marched in Blantyre onWednesday and delivered the petition through the district commissioner’s (DC’s) office. They observed that hacking of the e-passport system at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services indicated that both Ng’oma and Kalumo failed in their duties.

During their march from Kamuzu Stadium upper ground through Masauko Chipembere Highway and Haile Selassie Road to Blantyre District Council offices, the group, led by Edward Kambanje, said the duo should either resign or be fired.

The march started with about 10 participants who were outnumbered by police officers that provided security, but the numbers grew as they paraded. The protesters carried placards some which read: ‘Give passports to Malawians to bring sugar into the country’, ‘Life in Bagamoyo: No passports, no driving licence, no food, no sugar’. They were also overheard chanting ‘Zikhale ndi Kalumo achoke achoke! [Fire Zikhale and Kalumo]’.

Before presenting the petition at the DC’s office, located in the same Government Office Complex with Immigration Department headquarters, Kambanje read some of the points which they want the President to address.

In the petition, the concerned citizens said Ng’oma and Kalumo allegedly misinformed Malawians when they indicated that the department had restored the e-passport system and resumed passport printing.

He said: “On behalf of Malawians, we demand the immediate resignation of the Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma who has failed to come up with honest statements to Malawians and for failing to bring the suspected hackers to book if “indeed” they exist.”

Receiving the petition on behalf of DC Alex Mdooko, Blantyre District Council spokesperson Kondwani Chisi assured the petitioners that the council will deliver the petition to the relevant offices.

Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda referred the matter to Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu who is also the official government spokesperson. But the minister was not available for comment.

Last month, Kalumo indicated in a statement that the e-passport issuance services had resumed and printing of passports would start gradually in Lilongwe in the second week of March and later in the other regions.

Spot-checks show that passport printing is yet to resume in Blantyre, Mzuzu and Mangochi passport printing offices while in Lilongwe passport production is erratic.

A visit to the Immigration Department Lilongwe office on Wednesday established that the situation was calm, but the waiting shelters were filled with applicants waiting for their passports. Some passport seekers were seen waiting in the scorching sun at the premises’ car park.

“Many of us have been here since morning. The service is slow, but still people are being served and that is what is keeping everyone hopeful,” said a visibly frustrated Joakim Mwale.

Kalumo, Ng’oma and Immigration Department national spokesperson Wellington Chiponde were not available for comment.

Speaking in Parliament in Lilongwe on February 21 2024 during Questions to the President Session, Chakwera said “digital mercenaries” hacked into the system, forcing the Immigration Department to stop printing passports.

The passport hiccups began after Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda ordered the cancellation of $60.8 million (about K103.3 billion) Techno Brain contract deal in December 2021, owing to alleged poor handling of the contract.

Techno Brain is demanding $1.7 million (about K2.8 billion) from the government. They signed the contract in March 2019 during the then governing Democratic Progressive Party administration.

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