Niël Terblanché
The government’s mass registration outreach programme, aimed at providing national documents to residents across the country, is nearing its conclusion.
Over 94 317 individuals have already benefited from this initiative, which started on 5 February and will conclude on 31 July.
The program provides a variety of services, including birth certificates, identity documents, duplicates, and citizenship applications, which target all 121 constituencies.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security, Lucia Witbooi, while discussing the matter in Parliament earlier this week, said no applicant would be turned away without their details being recorded.
She said that this inclusive approach guarantees the accounting of even undocumented and stateless individuals residing in Namibia.
“This initiative aligns with the Second Harambee Prosperity Plan, which aims to regularise the status of undocumented and stateless individuals. It is crucial for ensuring that everyone in Namibia, including those without official documentation, is recognised and can access necessary services,” Witbooi said.
To further support this goal, two critical legislative efforts are in progress: the Regularisation of Status of Certain Residents and the Foreign Spouses Bill, and the Statelessness Determination and Protection Bill.
The purpose of these bills is to meet the needs of those with outdated South West African IDs and those who do not meet current citizenship requirements.
Witbooi said that throughout the outreach programme, the Ministry of Home Affairs has worked closely with constituency councillors to identify registration points and inform communities about the mobile visits.
“This collaborative effort ensures that residents are aware of the dates and locations where they can obtain their documents,” she said.
In addition to the outreach programme, the Ministry has implemented an e-birth and e-death notification system in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
According to the deputy minister, this system connects 135 health facilities, allowing for timely electronic registration of vital events, thereby improving the accuracy and credibility of data captured on the National Population Registration System (NPRS).
She said that despite the success of the programme, some challenges remain.
Witbooi indicated that only 52 896 out of 93 019 printed ID cards had been collected, leaving 40 123 IDs uncollected.
She added that the Ministry is exploring more effective strategies to distribute these IDs, including seeking the assistance of constituency councillors, and urges members of the public to collect their IDs from regional offices.
Witbooi expressed gratitude to the Minister of Finance for providing the necessary funds to carry out this essential exercise amidst competing national needs.
She also reiterated the importance of the initiative by saying that the programme is not just about documentation; it is about ensuring that every person in Namibia is recognised and has the opportunity to participate fully in society.
Witbooi added that the mass registration outreach is a substantial step towards addressing the issue of statelessness and ensuring that all Namibians have access to official documentation, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable society.
