Staff Reporter
In line with the Government`s mantra of living no one and no place behind, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage is set to construct a Manicaland Provincial Registry Office in Mutare district.
In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Ruth Mavhunga Maboyi, the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe illustrated that the current Mutare Provincial Registry Office was old and not conducive to house the citizens` essential records.
“As we can all witness, Mutare Provincial Registry Office is currently housed in an old dilapidated wooden infrastructure which is not conducive for efficient service delivery. The building has become inhabitable and it is significantly posing danger to human life.
“Furthermore, the building is increasing the risk of damage to our live records. We call them live records because they do not expire and they are constantly referred to even after a period of more than 50 years,” said Minister Kazembe Kazembe.
Minister Kazembe indicated that the same program will be implemented across the country.
“My Ministry is therefore, committed to building more registry offices, an initiative which will go a long way in addressing the issue of limited office accommodation and ensures that vital civil registration records are preserved in a secure environment.
“Let me reiterate that, the building we are here to construct, illustrates Government`s resolve and commitment to delivering on its development-oriented policies and programmes in an effort to ensure that no one and no place is left behind,” said the Minister.
Minister Kazembe further stated that his Ministry had embarked on a number of initiatives that were meant to enhance the best service delivery in the country and this includes the decentralization of passport services to districts.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, let me take this opportunity to inform you that my Ministry through the Civil Registry Department has also embarked on a number of initiatives aimed at enhancing service delivery and bringing services closer to the people. These initiatives include decentralization of passport services, national mobile registration exercise and implementation of active notification for community births and deaths, among others.
“Decentralization of passport services to districts was paramount since the service was only accessible at provincial level. So far e-passport services have been decentralized to Chitungwiza, Hwange, Murewa, Beitbridge, Zvishavane and Mazowe districts,” said Minister Kazembe Kazembe.
Meanwhile, the Ministry is targeting Chipinge as one of the districts in Manicaland to establish a passport office and works have already commenced.
This initiative will go a long way in reducing transport costs and distance that people have to travel to access passport services as we rally towards the attainment of the national vision 2030.
The ground breaking ceremony for the construction of Mutare Provincial Registry Building demonstrates Government`s thrust on infrastructure development and devolution under the NDS1`s key priorities which are aimed at bringing services closer to the people.
