Govt gives 30 days to retired officials to return diplomatic passports

 The Immigration department has given one month to retired officials who are still holding diplomatic and service passports to return the travel documents as stipulated in the regulations of the issuing authorities.

A statement issued yesterday by the Ministry of Home Affairs said that it was against the Tanzania Passports and Travel Documents Act, 2002, and its regulations, for an official to continue holding a diplomatic or service passport even after retirement from office. However, there are exceptions to the law, said the statement: “Retired top level government leaders and heads of national security agencies are exempted’’.

Article 10, Sections 2 and 3 of the law; and Schedules 2 and 3 specify persons who are eligible to hold diplomatic and service passports.

The Immigration office said it would take action on whoever will not adhere to the call.

According to the statement, the Immigration department would move to stop all those holding the travel documents illegally; at all the country’s points of entry or exit and bar them from traveling in or outside the country.

“The travel documents must be returned to the Immigration department within one month from the day of issuing this public announcement,’’ reads the statement in part.