Story by Yolanda Moyo
BINGA – THE government is working with development partners in rolling out a mobile documentation programme, targeting hard-to-reach areas, bringing long-awaited services to communities such as Sinamsanga in Binga District.
For years, countless villagers have remained undocumented due to logistical, financial, and geographical barriers. Now, for villagers like Felix Lunga, a 32-year-old father of a two-year-old daughter, this initiative marks a turning point.
“I desperately wanted to get my daughter documented, but the journey to Binga Centre or Siabuwa is simply too much. The transport fare alone is crippling for someone like me, and the road is so bad that even the few public transport operators who brave it charge exorbitant rates at US$30 per trip. It felt like an impossible task.
“The nearest District Registrar’s office, a formidable 160 kilometres away, has been an unreachable destination for many like me due to exorbitant transport costs. Today l am a happy father, for the past two years l felt like l was letting my daughter down,” he said.
Accessing documentation in these remote communities has also long been hindered by the continued threat of human-wildlife conflict.
“Elephants, lions, and other dangerous animals frequently traverse these areas, making travel hazardous, especially for those on foot or using traditional means of transport. This has not only deterred us from attempting the journey for documentation but has also made local transportation operators increasingly reluctant to ply these routes, further isolating the communities,” a Sinamsanga villager said.
“I am happy today because l have a national identity document, l am nineteen years old but I have to document, and this was affecting me to participate in any kind of community opportunities since l was undocumented. The fear of going to Siabuwa led to this because of the wildlife in the area such as elephants and lions. I am not employed even if l wanted to use the bus it is expensive for me. Today is a life-changing experience, for someone like me who has failed to access a lot of opportunities due to lack of documentation,” a villager said.
At Chief Sinamsanga’s homestead, joy was also evident. The traditional leader praised the initiative for restoring dignity to his people.
“It has been deeply painful for me, as a leader, to see so many of my people living without proper documentation. To be undocumented means to be unseen, unheard, and unable to fully participate in the life of our nation. It was painful to see my subjects miss opportunities for example, during last year’s drought, some of my people could not benefit from this food distribution programme because they were undocumented. This programme is a tremendous relief. It is bringing dignity and opportunity directly to our doorsteps, and for that, we are eternally grateful to the government, UNICEF, and the Swedish government,” Chief Sinamsanga said.
The documentation blitz forms part of Zimbabwe’s commitment to ensuring universal legal identity by 2030, in line with global development goals.
The effort includes mobile outreach in eight provinces, focusing on marginalised and hard-to-reach populations.
“Our goal is to bridge the identity gap by 2030. No Zimbabwean should be left behind due to geography, poverty, or lack of transport. We are providing services to the people. Being documented is the gateway to full participation in national life. It opens doors to education, healthcare, social services, voting rights, and economic opportunities. This program is being rolled out in 8 provinces across the country.
“We already do the national mobile registration rollout every five years but still, it is not enough, in the end, what we aim to do is to ensure that everyone is legally identifiable by 2030. This partnership is very important as this is what is enabling us to roll out this to the hard-to-reach areas, especially in the case of UNICEF, it is fostering the whole-of-government approach. As we do this, we have the Ministry of Health and Child Care moving with us to offer services. This partnership with UNICEF and the Swedish government’s developmental cooperation will enable us to reach the 2030 goals,” Deputy Registrar General, Mrs Christina Chikerema said.
According to the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS 2023–24), birth registration coverage currently stands at 57 %.
The mobile civil registration programme is expected to significantly increase that number by bringing services directly to communities that have historically been cut off from access.
As the government continues to implement the whole-of-government approach, mobile teams are also accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, ensuring that communities not only gain legal identity but also access to integrated services.
The mobile registration initiative is a collaborative effort between the government, UNICEF and the government of Sweden’s development cooperation, a tangible example of how partnerships between government and international stakeholders can bridge the identity gap, restore dignity, and unlock life-changing opportunities for Zimbabweans.
