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Dr Chombo

Felex Share Senior Reporter
The Registrar General’s Office has issued identity cards to more than 22 800 people since the department rolled out a national mobile registration exercise on September 4, the department said yesterday.

Of the 22 837 initial national identity cards issued, 12 330 were given to those between 16 and 17 years while 10 507 went to those with 18 years and above. At least 55 081 people made initial applications for birth certificates while 52 464 birth certificates were issued out. The statistics, covering the country’s 10 provinces, are for the period September 4 to September 15.

This comes as Treasury has released over $700 000 to support the waiver on civic documents announced by Government last week. Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo confirmed the development yesterday.

“Treasury has released $709 000 into our account for the work to be done,” he said. “We want people to have birth certificates and national IDs in particular so that when they go to ZEC they have the relevant documents to prove their bona fides as citizens.

“The delays in releasing the funds was just an administrative issue between various Government departments.

“Everything is now in order.”

The RG’s office is carrying out a registration blitz of national identity cards, births and deaths certificates in preparation for next year’s harmonised elections. Dr Chombo, last week said Government had waived all charges required to acquire civil documents during the 90-day registration blitz by the RG’s office.

This, he said, was meant to allow more people to get the documents ahead of next year’s general elections. The RG’s office has been charging $10 to replace national identity cards and $5 for lost birth certificates. Initial documents are obtained free of charge if acquired within stipulated time-frames. Turning to the ongoing mobile registration exercise, provincial registrar Mr Charles Mhende said the programme was progressing without hiccups.

“We are on course and we have had no major challenges since we began the exercise,” he said. “We encourage people to take advantage of the mobile units to acquire the necessary documents.” The blitz will end on November 30. Statistics show that 3 225 people countrywide had taken advantage of the mobile units to either replace national identity cards or make changes on the document.

At least 8 231 people who had green copies had them replaced by acquiring polythene-synthetic identity cards which have enhanced security features. About 2 133 had made initial applications for death certificates while the department issued 1 745 death certificates as of last Friday. Metal identity cards are also being replaced during the exercise and the RG’s office is urging holders of such documents to change to polythene-synthetic identity cards.

Contrary to misconceptions by opposition parties and private media, metal identity cards remain valid and authentic. The RG’s office said if the metal identity cards were to become invalid, the department would issue a statutory instrument to that effect.