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Felex Share, Harare Bureau
The Registrar General’s Office has issued nearly 100 000 identity cards in four weeks, amid reports that some refugees have been caught trying to fraudently obtain the identification documents.

Registrar General Mr Tobaiwa Mudede said finger prints were a prerequisite to weed out such fraudsters.

The department is carrying out a registration blitz of national identity cards, births and deaths certificates in preparation for next year’s harmonised elections.

The blitz started on September 4 and will end on November 30.

Mr Mudede said his department had issued more than 131 600 birth certificates.

“Since the beginning of the mobile registration exercise, the Registrar General’s department has issued 99 148 identity documents (IDs) and 131 630 birth certificates,” he said.

“Mobile registration is going on until the publicised date (November 30). People are encouraged to take advantage of this registration period since identity documents and birth certificates are free.”

Government has waived all charges required to acquire civil documents during the 90-day registration blitz.

Mr Mudede said at least 152 957 people made initial applications for birth certificates.

The statistics cover the country’s 10 provinces.

About 6 190 people had made initial applications for death certificates, while the department issued 4 508 death certificates as of September 22.

At least 25 037 people who had green copies had them replaced by acquiring polythene-synthetic identity cards which have enhanced security features.

Metal identity cards are also being replaced during the exercise.

On finger prints, Mr Mudede said complaints had come mainly from Masvingo province.

“This requirement is being viewed as too bureaucratic, restrictive and unnecessary,” he said.

“The purpose of taking finger prints is to ascertain the owner of the identity card and verify the personal detail of the same. This will weed out fraudsters who would have acquired documents in the names of others. Some refugees have already been caught trying to obtain these documents fraudulently.”

Mr Mudede added: “Finger prints will prove that one is a bona fide citizen of Zimbabwe and the owner of the document in question. They provide us with full personal details of the applicant for the purpose of verifying the information.

“This will help in eliminating cases of multiple registration where the individual ends up with more than one document with different details.

“Finger prints will assist in the positive identification of the applicant where the applicant cannot recall his or her personal details appearing on the initial registration. The taking of finger prints has been to facilitate the true identification of applicants without malice.”

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.