'Take advantage of drive to acquire identity documents'

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister Ruth Maboyi has encouraged the community especially those in the most remote areas of the district to take advantage of the Government mobile registration programme to acquire the necessary documents.

She said it was sad that a lot of people were still without the necessary primary documents like birth certificates and national identification cards.

It is estimated that 30 percent of school-going children in Matabeleland South province do not have birth certificates.

The Civil Registry Department is currently conducting a national mobile registration exercise that started on April 1 and will end on September 30.

Teams are already out on the ground, where there is reportedly an overwhelming response from mainly people living in remote areas.

"As a people-oriented Government we are aware of the (challenges) in accessing births certificates and national identification documents, and hence we are having this mobile registration exercise," she said.

"In our district, the programme started on April 1 under the Beitbridge East constituency and the teams will soon move to Beitbridge West. I, therefore, encourage all those without these documents to utilise this opportunity".

Deputy Minister Maboyi said the primary documents were critical during voter registration, voting, or even during resource allocations since they give a guideline of the state of a respective area's population.

In some instances, the unavailability of birth certificates is affecting the transition of children from primary to secondary levels of education.

Deputy Minister Maboyi said a birth certificate is a prerequisite for one to acquire secondary documents including a national ID or passport or any other travel document.

"At the same time I also want to appeal to eligible voters to register as voters, during the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's ongoing (BVR) voter registration campaign," she said.

Beitbridge East legislator, Albert Nguluvhe said the youth as leaders of tomorrow, should take advantage of both the mobile registration and ZEC drive.

He said those encountering challenges with such processes should make use of available community support channels or approach councillors, traditional leaders, and parliamentarians.

According to Beitbridge Youth Development champion, Ms Thandeka Mukandatsama, the mobile registration, and ZEC voter registration campaigns were welcome initiatives.

"No youth will be left behind through this initiative and every youth will be able to vote as it is a basic human right enshrined in our Constitution.

Everyone deserves to have a sense of identity and this initiative will do just that," she said.

A traditional leader, Mr Oscar Managa of Tshapfuche, Ward 5 said the mobile registration programme will help address some of the social problems in communities.

He said the traditional leaders had gone all out encouraging people to respond to the call to get documented and registered voters at selected points.

"We are happy that our people are getting documents, considering this has been a headache for those who are not able to travel urban settlements for such services," said Mr Managa.