Leader of opposition demands answers in passport printing crisis

Leader of Opposition in Parliament, George Chaponda, has urged the government—through the Minister of Homeland Security—to replace Madras Security Printers, the company currently contracted to supply passports.

Chaponda argued that the company has failed to meet public demand, as many Malawians continue to face challenges in obtaining their passports despite earlier assurances that the new contractor would perform better than its predecessors.

He expressed disappointment with the recent responses from the Minister of Homeland Security, who dismissed concerns raised by the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) regarding the worsening passport crisis. The concerns follow a one-week suspension in passport printing.

Chaponda also dismissed claims that the situation is under control, stating that the reality at Immigration offices tells a different story. He described the situation as “an insult to countless Malawians” who have been stranded, delayed, or denied urgent travel due to the unavailability of passports in recent weeks.

“Let me state it clearly—Malawi is in a passport crisis. And this crisis didn’t start today. It began when the government, without proper justification, terminated the contract with Techno Brain, a company that was issuing passports efficiently and without the chaos we are seeing now. Since then, passport issuance has been plagued by irregularities, long delays, and now, a complete standstill,” said Chaponda.

He further attributed the crisis to a lack of due diligence and questionable procurement processes, which he said amount to a betrayal of public trust.

He emphasized that Malawians deserve better than a situation where a crucial national security document is entrusted to a company with a tarnished reputation.

Chaponda has since called on the government to immediately suspend the contract with Madras Security Printers and initiate a fresh, open, and transparent tendering process.

He stressed the need to engage only reputable, globally trusted companies with clean records for such sensitive national assignments.