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Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
THE issuance of electronic passports will soon be decentralised to Mutare following the commencement of construction of a state-of-the-art Mutare Provincial Registry Building, The Manica Post has established.
The move is expected to bring relief to the people of Manicaland Province who have been travelling to Marondera and Harare to acquire e-passports.
The Mutare Provincial Registry Office is currently housed in an old dilapidated wooden structure which is not conducive for efficient service delivery.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction on Wednesday, and on behalf of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe, his deputy, Honourable Ruth Mavhungu-Maboyi said the construction of the new building and decentralisation of e-passport services resonated well with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.
Minister Kazembe bemoaned the state of the old wooden building at the provincial offices, saying they had become inhabitable and were significantly posing danger to human life.
He said his ministry had embarked on a programme to construct registry buildings across the country to facilitate ease of doing business and the people from Manicaland would not be left behind.
“Infrastructure development remains central in achieving Vision 2030, and ideally good quality infrastructure is important, not only to foster economic growth, but to also ensure inclusive growth which will benefit the majority.
“This milestone undoubtedly demonstrates Government’s thrust on infrastructure development and devolution under the purview of National Development Strategy (NDS1)’s key priorities which are aimed at bringing services closer to the people,” he said.
Minister Kazembe said the construction of registry buildings across the country will enable decentralisation of services and enhance service delivery for the benefit of the Zimbabwean populace.
“It will also ensure that services are offered in a spacious and favourable environment and this dovetails with the new business culture being brought about by the Second Republic.
“The building that will be constructed here illustrates Government’s resolve and commitment to delivering on its development-oriented policies and programmes in an effort to ensure that no one and no place is left behind,” he said.
Minister Kazembe said the e-passport service is also being decentralised to districts, with Chipinge District in Manicaland being one of the local districts that will enjoy such services.
“Chipinge is also earmarked for the establishment of a passport office and work has already commenced. This initiative will go a long way in reducing transport costs and distances that people have to travel to access passport services as we rally towards attainment of Vision 2030,” he said.
“The decentralisation of passport services to districts was paramount since the service was only accessible at provincial level. These initiatives are aimed at enhancing service delivery and bringing services closer to the people.
“Government is also working towards building the capacity of traditional leaders to actively notify births and deaths that occur in their communities,” said Minister Kazembe.
He said once the programme is implemented, there will be no need for parents and relatives to take witnesses to registration offices since they would have been issued with confirmation records by village heads.
“The programme will also provide Government with reliable and up to date information on vital events which enables national planning and delivery of social services.
“Implementation of active notification will also go a long way in ensuring legal identity for all by 2030 in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he said.
Addressing the same gathering, the Registrar General (RG), Mr Henry Machiri said his department remains committed to improving access to civil registration and travel documents through the construction of more registry buildings for the benefit of all Zimbabwe citizens.
“Within a few months, e-passports will be issued here in Mutare and you will no longer have challenges travelling to Harare and Marondera to apply for passports. The construction of the registry building will also ensure that vital civil registration records are preserved in a secure environment.
“In an effort to ensure accessibility of services, it is worth noting that the department has decentralised the issuance of vital civil registration documents to all the 10 provinces, 63 districts and 202 sub-offices countrywide.
“All mandatory vital civil registration documents, that is birth certificates, death certificates and national identity documents are issued at these offices,” he said.
He applauded Government’s efforts towards investing immensely in infrastructural development.
The Civil Registry Department plays a pivotal role in complementing Government efforts in the attainment of Vision 2030 through provision of vital civil registration documents.
Mr Machiri said plans are underway to further decentralise services by establishing more registry offices with the view to bring services closer to the people and facilitate ease of doing business.
He said most of the buildings currently in use are rented and some are not in good state.
The RG said Government’s initiatives will go a long way in addressing the issue of limited office accommodation and ensuring that people are served in favourable environments.
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