The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has urged the Registrar General’s office to conduct special registration programmes for those who were failing to access critical documents such as birth certificates, national identity cards, death certificates and passports as a result of Gukurahundi effects.
Presenting a report on the findings of the public hearings on access to documentation in Matabeleland South Province during a validation meeting held in Gwanda on Wednesday, ZHRC human rights officer, Mr Alondoloziwe Sitsha said there was also a need for the RG’s office to decentralise its services to remote parts of the country.
“As the ZHRC we conducted a national inquiry on challenges faced in the access to critical documents such as birth certificates, national identity cards, birth certificates and death certificates. We first held provincial consultative meetings then we had provincial outreaches and also held public hearings. We have now come to give you feedback on our findings and the recommendations we came up with as a commission.
“Among our recommendations is the need to establish special registration programmes for those who were affected by Gukurahundi. During the public hearings we conducted in Matabeleland South Province we discovered that one of the reasons why people are failing to access documentation is the effects of Gukurahundi,” he said.
Mr Sitsha said there was also a need for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to allocate more funds to the RG’s office in order to increase its efficiency and so they can invest in modern technology. He said the Public Service Commission had to recruit more officers in the RG’s office as it is a crucial department.
He added: “There is also a need for the RG’s office to be visible in remote parts of the country. They have to intensify mobile registration throughout the year and cover all parts of the country. They have to increase the number of sub offices where people can access all services. If the RG’s office is visible people can access it easily, be informed of the requirements and importance of these documents which will in turn reduce the number of people without these documents.”
Mr Sitsha said the commission had also recommended that the RG’s office enforce regulations to recognise confirmation letters from traditional leaders as valid documents for one to access documents. He said there was also need for special registration programmes for those who were affected by Gukurahundi and relaxation of some policy requirements in registering orphaned children.
Mr Sitsha said the Ministry of Health and Child Care had to ensure that people were not denied access to birth confirmation records due to unpaid bills. He said the Parliament of Zimbabwe also had to align the Birth and Death Registration Acts to the constitution. Mr Sitsha also highlighted on the impact of lack of documentation on human rights and challenges faced by people in accessing documents.
Also speaking during the meeting Chief Mathema from Gwanda said challenges in accessing crucial documents remained a huge challenge for the rural folk which in turn was hindering people from accessing their rights hence the need for it to be addressed soon.
He said many people could not meet the costs associated with reaching the RG’s offices which were centralised in towns while many were not aware of the requirements.
Chief Mathema said some of the requirements were unreasonable making it difficult for people to access the documents. He said headmen and village heads were also supposed to be given authority to issue confirmation letters, which must be recognised by the RG’s office as valid evidence one could use to obtain documents.
ZHRC director monitoring and inspections department, Ms Priscillah Mbanga said the commission was in the process of conducting validation meetings in all provinces of the country.
She said thereafter the commission will compile a final global report with the findings and recommendations. She said all the issues peculiar to each province will be captured in the report. Ms Banga said a meeting to launch the report will be conducted after it had been compiled.
@DubeMatutu
