Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has started implementing resolutions agreed to during President Mnangagwa’s meeting with traditional leaders from Matabeleland region as the Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ministry commits to ensuring that citizens without national documents access them without encountering bureaucratic hurdles.
The President two weeks ago met chiefs from Matabeleland region as part of the ongoing process to address problems emanating from Gukurahundi.
Access to national documents is said to be among the problems associated with Gukurahundi disturbances.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe on Thursday said his Ministry has started to implement the resolutions of President Mnangagwa’s meeting with chiefs.
He was speaking at Mtshina Primary Secondary in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North where Government was holding a consultation meeting with the San community over the rolling out of a mobile national documentation exercise.
The Minister was accompanied by his deputy Ruth Maboyi, Matabeleland North Provincial and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Mr Aaron Nhepera among other senior Government officials.
Minister Kazembe told villagers that President Mnangagwa directed him to document issues relating to citizens based in Matabeleland region as a matter of urgency.
He said his visit to the San community is meant to ensure they also benefit from State programmes.
“His Excellency, President Dr ED Mnangagwa held a meeting with chiefs from Matabeleland in Bulawayo a fortnight ago. One of the major outcomes of that meeting was that we need to accelerate the registration of marginalised communities. My Ministry was tasked to ensure that all citizens are properly registered by removing all bureaucratic bottlenecks,” said Minister Kazembe.
“My presence here marks the beginning of a process that will lead to the registration of all eligible members of this community. As a listening and pro-people leader, His Excellency and President directed that this programme be fully funded and implemented until everyone is registered.”
The Minister said his visit to the San community follows another meeting that was held by Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo two months ago to appreciate their challenges.
He said every citizen has a right to national documentation for them to enjoy the full benefits of being Zimbabwean.
“A birth certificate is a basic legal document for securing recognition of individuals before the law and safeguarding their human rights and access to basic social services such as education, health care among others. Section 81 (1) (c) provides that every Zimbabwean citizen, born in and outside Zimbabwe, is entitled to a birth certificate,” said Minister Kazembe.
He said at the age of 16, it is mandatory for all persons to have IDs.
“This document provides the basis for one’s entrance into adulthood and is vital in other subsequent stages of human life such as employment, access to social services, property ownership and many others,” said Minister Kazembe.
He said in line with statutory obligations, Registrar General’s Office, is targeting to address all challenges relating to registration of stateless citizens.
Minister Kazembe said he is guided by President Mnangagwa’s vision that for the country to attain an upper middle-income economy by 2030, no community should be left behind.
“His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Head of State and Commander-In-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Cde Dr ED Mnangagwa has consistently said that no one should be left behind as we develop our country.
‘‘Our presence as a Ministry and Government testifies our commitment towards addressing all challenges inhibiting access to vital civil registration documents by all citizens,” said Minister Kazembe.
He encouraged the San community to take advantage of the national access to documents that has been extended to them and acquire birth certificates and IDs.
Minister Kazembe said those applying for documents will not be asked to bring witnesses as has been the case in the past.
After Minister Kazembe’s address, the San community members broke into song and dance as they thanked Government for extending the registration exercise to him.
During the interaction with the Minister, the San community revealed that access to national documents had been a problem for years.
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