Story by Tichaona Kurewa
VISITING Registrars General from across Africa have praised Zimbabwe’s modern e-passport and civil registration system, describing it as a model for secure identity management and efficient public service delivery.
The commendations came as the Annual Expert Group Meeting for African Registrars General and the Board of the Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Meeting continued in Zimbabwe on Wednesday, with delegates touring the Hwange Registry Office to assess the country’s civil registration services.
Delegates hailed Zimbabwe’s adoption of technology to modernise civil registration, saying the e-passport system offers valuable lessons for the continent.
Director General of Rwanda, Ms Josephine Mukesha said Zimbabwe’s decentralised model had significantly improved access to services.
“We can see a fully decentralised system that works and allows citizens to access all the required services in one place, within a single day. That is truly a tremendous achievement.”
A delegate from Benin, Mr Abdan Marivvs Mikpon’ai said Zimbabwe’s approach would help inform reforms in his country.
“We have discovered another successful model here in Zimbabwe. We have seen that people can obtain their passports in towns and districts far from the capital city. I will make a report to my Minister so that we can emulate this system.”
Registrar General of Zambia, Mr Davis Chikalanga also praised the decentralisation of passport services.
“The first thing I have appreciated, and which I will take back home for possible implementation, is the level of decentralisation. Services have been brought much closer to the people. I have seen that people can apply for passports here and receive them within seven days.”
Zimbabwe also showcased progress in digitising its civil registration system.
Deputy Registrar General for Systems Development and Management, Mr Nicholas Chimuriwo said computerisation of registry services was expanding nationwide.
“We have computerised all 10 provinces and 63 districts. More than 20 of our 209 sub-offices have also been computerised as part of our decentralisation programme. We have established e-passport enrolment centres in 10 districts, eight provincial centres and one in Johannesburg.”
Zimbabwe introduced the e-passport in 2022 to align with international standards while improving the processing and issuance of travel documents.
Government is now working to establish an e-passport enrolment centre in every district to improve access to national documents in line with its policy of leaving no one and no place behind.
