Travelers set to have their eyes scanned to authenticate information on passports as Govt acquires 70 iris scanners

Government has secured 70 iris recognition scanners that will be installed at all the country’s major ports of entry and will see all travellers having their eyes scanned to allow the biometric system to authenticate information on their passports.

In an interview with Sunday News last week, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Obedingwa Mnguni revealed that the iris recognition scanners were acquired with the help of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa). He also said that a pilot project will soon be run at the Harare International Airport before being rolled out to all major borders and airports. Said Mnguni:

We received the iris scanners and there are 70 of them. We got them through Comesa and we will install them at some ports of entry for a pilot project before we install at the designated places throughout the country. We secured these iris scanners so that we match other developed countries and also those in the region in terms of security.So with this development, we are certainly improving our own and neighbours’ security. With this new technology no one can uses another person’s passport like what some corrupt people were doing because the information will not tally with the Iris scanner. Everyone has to use their own passport.

Mguni said his ministry has now shortlisted companies that will run the software for the pilot phase although Comesa will have to approve the company first.

More: Sunday News