The Malawi Government under the Ministry of Homeland security recently revoked a Malawian diplomatic passport to a tech entrepreneur and business Nigerian, Dozy Mmobuosi over fraud allegations.
It is further alleged that the Malawi Government softened its passport issuance security procedures to Mmobuosi on trust that he would provide home construction charity services to Malawian victims of Cyclone Freddy.
What transpired is that the passport was issued at the time when President Lazarus Chakwera appointed former Presidents Joyce Banda and Bakili Muluzi as ambassadors of caring for Cyclone Freddy victims. At the meeting with these former presidents, Mmobuosi pledged to construct 100 houses in the affected areas.
However, I am perplexed by the decision to issue a Malawian passport considering that Mmobuosi could have been granted a work visa while retaining his Nigerian citizenship status.
However, it is not puzzling that the United States Government in March this year declared that Malawi passports had to be put on hold due to their security concerns.
Furthermore, it is unfortunate that Malawi has since been added to a list of countries, including conflict-ravaged Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Sudan, whose passport issuance has been scrutinized due to similar issues.
With porous passport issuance system, fraudsters can easily use stolen or forged passports to impersonate Malawian citizens, potentially leading to identity theft and financial crimes.
It is also important to note that the proliferation of fake passports promotes illegal Immigration as they can easily be used by fraudsters to gain entry into other countries thereby potentially compromising state security of the host country.
Furthermore , fraudsters with fake Malawian passports can potentially be used by terrorist organizations or individuals to travel undetected thereby posing a security risk to countries and their citizens.
Additionally, fraudsters can easily use fake or stolen passports to open bank accounts, obtain credit, or engage in other financial crimes potentially leading to financial losses for individuals and institutions.
With a bad passport reputation, legitimate Malawian citizens may face increased scrutiny and questioning when traveling abroad especially when their passports are deemed vulnerable to fraud.
There is fear that fraudsters may use Malawian passports to engage in criminal activities, including human trafficking, drug smuggling, and terrorism, which could lead to an increase in crime rates both domestically and internationally.
It is unfortunate that tarnished Malawian passport reputation may deter foreign investment and tourism, negatively impacting our economy. Like United States Government, more countries may also follow suit to impose stricter visa requirements on Malawian citizens, further isolating the nation economically.
In conclusion, addressing these impacts requires a comprehensive holistic approach, including enhancing passport security features, fighting corruption, enhancing security in Malawi borders, improving passport verification processes, and fostering international cooperation to combat passport fraud.
