Scores fail to acquire national IDs

SCORES of people hoping to acquire national identity cards during the current national mobile registration blitz are being frustrated by the snail's pace at which the exercise is going.

The Civil Registry Department is conducting a countrywide mobile registration, which started on April 1 and ends on September 30. During the exercise, the department is issuing birth certificates, death certificates and national identity documents.

In Bulawayo, the exercise is getting huge a response, but the issuance officers are reportedly serving a limited number of people per day, much to the disappointment of scores of national document seekers who were hoping to take advantage of the blitz.

"I came here around 8 am hoping to get a national ID during this blitz, but I was told that people have already been given queuing cards. The local civil registry offices have been using this cards system, which has been brewing corruption. Since it is nationwide blitz, everyone should be served otherwise the exercise is meaningless," said Malvern Mhlanga.

Another youth, Hilton Moyo, said he also failed to get the ID at Large City Hall.

"I came to Bulawayo hall twice hoping to apply for an ID so that I can be able to register to vote. For the past two days there were long queues, and the officers were clearly overwhelmed by the queues. I hope the Ministry of Home Affairs will consider availing more mobile registration centres so that everyone who needs these documents gets them," said Moyo.

A lot of people could not obtain national documents during the COVID-19 lockdowns as the registry department was offering limited services.