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Kwekweza gives Registrar General 48-hour ultimatum over ID denial
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Human rights defender Namatai Kwekweza has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Registrar General Henry Machiri, demanding the immediate issuance of her national identity card. Kwekweza's legal representatives have warned that failure to comply will result in legal action against Machiri in his personal capacity.
Kwekweza, who was arrested in July along with fellow activists Samuel Gwenzi and Robson Chere at Robert Mugabe International Airport, spent 35 days in detention before being granted bail in August. After her release, she attempted to replace her damaged national ID card at a Harare registry office. However, she was informed that her name was on a "Stop List," which prevented her from obtaining the document.
Her legal team, composed of Tinashe Chinopfukutwa and Kelvin Kabaya of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), has since contended that the refusal to issue Kwekweza's ID card violates her constitutional rights. In a letter addressed to Machiri, the lawyers emphasized that every Zimbabwean citizen is entitled to a national identity document, irrespective of any pending or past criminal charges.
"Every Zimbabwean citizen is entitled to a national identity document, regardless of whether they face pending criminal allegations. Even convicted prisoners retain this right," the letter stated, referencing Section 35(3)(c) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to an identity document.
ZLHR also revealed on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that registry officials cited a 2020 case in which Kwekweza had been implicated but was later acquitted. The organization has dismissed this reasoning as unlawful and without merit, asserting that the refusal to issue the ID card is not based on any valid legal grounds.
Kwekweza's legal team has now given the Registrar General 48 hours to process the issuance of her identity card. Should Machiri fail to comply, her lawyers plan to initiate legal proceedings, with intentions to hold him personally liable for any legal costs incurred.
This development has sparked renewed concerns about the protection of basic rights for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, particularly those who have been involved in high-profile activism or political cases. Kwekweza and her legal team continue to advocate for the protection of fundamental rights and access to essential documentation, regardless of the political context.
Kwekweza, who was arrested in July along with fellow activists Samuel Gwenzi and Robson Chere at Robert Mugabe International Airport, spent 35 days in detention before being granted bail in August. After her release, she attempted to replace her damaged national ID card at a Harare registry office. However, she was informed that her name was on a "Stop List," which prevented her from obtaining the document.
Her legal team, composed of Tinashe Chinopfukutwa and Kelvin Kabaya of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), has since contended that the refusal to issue Kwekweza's ID card violates her constitutional rights. In a letter addressed to Machiri, the lawyers emphasized that every Zimbabwean citizen is entitled to a national identity document, irrespective of any pending or past criminal charges.
"Every Zimbabwean citizen is entitled to a national identity document, regardless of whether they face pending criminal allegations. Even convicted prisoners retain this right," the letter stated, referencing Section 35(3)(c) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to an identity document.
ZLHR also revealed on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that registry officials cited a 2020 case in which Kwekweza had been implicated but was later acquitted. The organization has dismissed this reasoning as unlawful and without merit, asserting that the refusal to issue the ID card is not based on any valid legal grounds.
Kwekweza's legal team has now given the Registrar General 48 hours to process the issuance of her identity card. Should Machiri fail to comply, her lawyers plan to initiate legal proceedings, with intentions to hold him personally liable for any legal costs incurred.
This development has sparked renewed concerns about the protection of basic rights for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, particularly those who have been involved in high-profile activism or political cases. Kwekweza and her legal team continue to advocate for the protection of fundamental rights and access to essential documentation, regardless of the political context.
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