Govt backs termination of passport contract

Minister of Homeland Security, Richard Chimwendo Banda, has said production of passports will continue as government transitions to a new contractor following termination of contract with Techno Brain.

In March, government of Malawi, through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, entered into a contract with Techno Brain for the upgrade of the Passport Issuance System and introduction of electronic passports for a period of 42 months at a total cost of US$60,800,000.

Attorney General, Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda has since justified the termination of the contract describing it as within the law.

He said there are so many things that Techno Brain was supposed to do but hasn’t been fulfilled hence termination of the contract.

Under the contract, a minimum of 800,000 e-passports were expected to be issued over a period of three years from January, 2020.

However, slightly above 80,000 passports of different types have been issued.