Fibre Cut Halts Passport Services at Kyambogo and Jinja Offices

Passport applicants relying on the Kyambogo Passport Issuance Centre and the Jinja Regional Passport Office are experiencing significant delays following an unexpected fibre optic cable cut that knocked out operations at both facilities.

The National Citizenship and Immigration Control (NCIC) announced that the Kyambogo facility, previously operated by Face Technologies, was rendered entirely non-operational due to the network damage. Additionally, the Jinja regional branch has been left unable to personalize or issue travel documents.

Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson Simon Mundeyi stated that technical teams are actively collaborating with service providers to repair the damage and restore full functionality. The ministry extended its apologies to the affected public, urging patience as efforts continue to bring the systems back online.

The disruption poses challenges for individuals with urgent travel schedules, upcoming appointments, or impending passport collections. Commuters arriving at the affected centers may face extra transport costs and the inconvenience of rescheduling their visits. Meanwhile, the ministry has not yet specified a timeline for the restoration of services or clarified whether missed appointments will need to be rebooked.

Despite the setback, passport services remain fully operational at the main headquarters in Kampala, alongside regional centres in Mbale, Gulu, Mbarara, and Arua. Applicants with urgent needs are advised to utilize these alternative locations if possible. Mr. Mundeyi has strongly encouraged the public to verify the operational status of their intended destination before embarking on their journey.

For more details on this development, read the Daily Monitor report.