Minister denies ID backlog amid growing public outcry

The Government of Zimbabwe has denied the existence of backlogs in the processing of passports, birth certificates and national identity cards, despite mounting complaints from citizens struggling to obtain the documents.

The issue arose in the Senate of Zimbabwe after Matabeleland North Senator Sengezo Tshabangu questioned the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage over delays in issuing identity documents.

Tshabangu said the delays had become a serious national concern, particularly for children being denied school enrolment because they lack birth certificates.

"There is a huge backlog for passports, national identity cards and birth certificates in the country," Tshabangu said.

"What mechanisms are you putting in place to ensure citizens exercise their constitutional right to identity?"

Responding to the concerns, Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe said he was not aware of any backlog in the processing system.

"To be perfectly honest, up to this stage, I was not aware that there is a backlog. I am hearing it for the first time," Kazembe told senators.

The minister said the introduction of e-passports and the Zimbabwe Population Registry System (ZPRS) had significantly improved processing capacity.

He added that government's long-term vision was to digitise applications for identity documents.

"Where we are going is that people will be able to apply for their birth certificates and even their passports online in real time," Kazembe said.

However, the minister acknowledged that the department had recently experienced challenges in issuing birth certificates due to funding constraints and shortages of resources.

"I am aware that we have had challenges recently of people failing to get their birth certificates on time due to circumstances which were at the time beyond the ministry's control," he said.

Zimbabwe has faced recurring problems in the processing of identity documents over recent years.

At the height of the passport crisis in 2022, the Civil Registry Department reportedly faced a backlog of more than 300 000 passport applications, with some applicants waiting up to a year to receive travel documents.

In 2021, despite the rollout of e-passports, delays reportedly remained high because of shortages of consumables and foreign currency.

Available statistics also indicate that mobile registration exercises have only reached a small portion of the estimated 1,5 million undocumented children across Zimbabwe, particularly in rural provinces such as Matabeleland North, Midlands and Masvingo.