GOVERNMENT has proposed a sharp increase in passport fees for 2027, with an ordinary 32-page passport rising from K666.68 to K1,000, while a new premium service will allow applicants to obtain passports within two days for K5,000. Meanwhile, government has proposed doubling the Mobile Money Levy across all transaction bands, meaning customers who currently pay K0.32 on transactions of up to K150 will pay K0.64, while those transferring between K5,000 and K10,000 will pay K16 instead of K8. According to government, the proposed increase in passport fees is meant to cover rising production costs caused by inflation, exchange rate fluctuations and higher input costs since the fees were last revised in August 2008. Government further says the measure also aims...