UPND SALUTES KAMPYONGO OVER NRCS ISSUANCE
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) has welcomed Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo’s appeal to all stakeholders not to politicise the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs).
Southern province Information and publicity secretary, Neto Halwabala, said the appeal was timely as it would help in ensuring that the process was transparent.
Mr Halwabala said in an interview that the ministers had in the past made good policy pronouncements but they had not been implemented.
“We agree with the Minister of Home Affairs’ advice to the offices of District Commissioners that, their offices should be accessible to stakeholders who want to get information on the ongoing mobile issuance of NRCs,” he said.
Mr Halwabala said the UPND had been failing to access the time tables for the exercise from District Commissioners in the province.
He said, now that guidance has been given, his party was hopeful that DCs' offices would be accessible by stakeholders.
Mr Halwabala was optimistic that the relationship between the DCs and some stakeholders would be harmonised.
He agreed with Mr Kampyongo's message that officers should not be intimidated by anyone but be allowed to do their work freely.
Mr Halwabala said some of the centres were far from populated areas while some districts had no gensets for the exercise.
“In some districts, they are areas that have been selected but do not have a lot of people and those areas where there are a lot of people are not targeted,” he said.
On Monday, Mr Kampyongo said District Commissioners should provide leadership and address concerns from stakeholders in the ongoing mobile issuance of NRCs and also make their offices accessible.
The Minister said he did not want the exercise to be politicised to a level where officers on the ground were intimidated.