RG scraps fees for ID card replacement
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 11:29
HARARE – The Registrar General’s office has scraped fees for national
identification cards replacement, under a massive voter registration
campaign in preparation of the watershed election.
Co-Home affairs minister Theresa Makone said with immediate effect,
documents lost through arson and those forcibly removed from the owner
through for instance theft, can be immediately replaced for free to enable
the owner to register.
Makone said this would remain effective only for the period before the voter
registration exercise is closed.
“Further, prior to harmonised elections of 2013, all identity documents
shall be availed to citizens free of charge.
“At the same time, those who are not on the voters’ roll can be
automatically entered onto it,” Makone said.
The minister also said aliens can now go and swap their IDs for Zimbabwe
citizen IDs.
“The current law allows aliens to register as voters right away. If one is
born in Zimbabwe, or if either parent is Zimbabwean, they automatically are
Zimbabwean.
Aliens with alien ID’s but who qualify as voters must have these swapped for
citizen IDs,” said Makone.
However, the $13 million needed for voter education has not been found.
She also moved in to reduce chaos and congestion at the passport office by
ordering the quick processing of ordinary passports following complaints
from the public.
“With immediate effect, there shall be two separate windows for passport
applications, one for the urgent passports and another for ordinary
passports.
“The ordinary passport shall be issued no later than four weeks from the
date of submission of the application.”
Makone was flanked by acting co-minister of Home Affairs, Emmerson
Mnangagwa. – Bridget Mananavire