Only 100 people per day can get IDs in Bulawayo

BULAWAYO residents have criticised the Registrar General's Office for limiting applications for national identification cards (IDs).

There are indications that the Registrar's Department is limiting the number of applicants to 100 people per day.

"This is a blitz, meaning one has to go out of the norm. But when these officials are documenting 100 people per day it's no longer a blitz, it loses its meaning," said the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association chairperson Ambrose Sibindi.

"The officials need to act and correct this as residents expect to be served effectively. This issue needs to be revisited and revised."

Bulawayo United Residents Association chairman, Winos Dube said their expectations on the blitz were high.

"We expected to see people being able to quickly obtain documents. Issuing IDs to only a 100 means we are moving at a slow pace and there is no difference to what has been happening (in the past). We call upon authorities to monitor this exercise so that the main objective is fulfilled," Dube said.

Pelandaba Ward 9 councillor Charles Moyo appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to intervene.

"Only two people were manning the IDs desk, while two were manning the birth certificate desk at Mpopoma centre. A blitz must serve a lot of people. It means for the two days at Mpopoma Hall they only served 200 people," Moyo said.

Registrar General Henry Machiri referred all questions to Bulawayo Provincial Registrar Jane Peters, who was not picking up calls.