We’ll revisit proposed changes to Passports Act, government says
What you need to know:
- The government yesterday said in the Parliament that it would revisit its proposed amendments related to passports issues.
- Earlier the amendments were presented to The Parliament through The Political Service Retirement Benefits Act, Cap.225 amendments, which is a part of The Tanzania Passports and Travel Documents Act, Cap.42.
Dodoma/Dar. The government yesterday said in Parliament that it would revisit its proposed amendments that are related to issuance of passports.
Earlier, the amendments were presented to Parliament through the Political Service Retirement Benefits Act, Cap.225 amendments, which is a part of the Tanzania Passports and Travel Documents Act, Cap.42.
Speaking in the august House during presentation of the Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments (No.4) Bill, 2018, Attorney General, Prof Adelardus Kilangi, said the government arrived at the decision after being satisfied with the recommendations by the Parliamentary Legal and Constitution Committee.
He said the move was meant to pave the way for the government to work on the committee’s recommendations.
“After a thorough discussion with the House’s Legal and Constitution Committee, the government has agreed to do away with proposals related to issuance of passports to incorporate the committee’s recommendations before drafting another document,” said Prof Kilangi.
Among the recommendations proposed in the draft include, among others, the amendment seeking to provide regional commissioners with diplomatic passports.
The proposals are included under Written Laws (Miscellaneous amendments) (NO.4) Act, 2018, which sought to amend some sections in the Tanzania Passports and Travel Documents Act of 2002.
The amendments to the principal Act intended to delete the Third Schedule, which enlisted persons entitled to diplomatic passports acquisition and substituting it with a new list to include regional commissioners.
Before the bill, the regional commissioners together with district commissioners in Tanzania were only entitled to service passports.
The draft also proposed the introduction of special diplomatic passports. Immigration department spokesperson Ally Mtanda said Special diplomatic passports were a new category.
, which would have been introduced under the amendments, will be entitled to the President of the United Republic, Vice President, President of Zanzibar, Prime Minister, First Vice President of Zanzibar, Second Vice President of Zanzibar, Spouses of the President, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Republic and (h) Spouses of the President, Vice President, First Vice President and Second Vice President of Zanzibar.
