Flood victims to get replacement IDs

THE Registrar General Department will soon embark on a process to replace essential documents, especially paper certificates, for those hit by floods including those from Budirio and Kuwadzana suburbs, Registrar General Henry Machiri said.

Residents in Budiriro 5B Extension and the Paddock area of Kuwadzana were recently flooded out of their homes and their property damaged. Government has evacuated them to shelter and Dzivarasekwa Flats are the longer-term solution.

Apart from Budiriro and Kuwadzana, some other places affected by floods are Chitungwiza in Unit G, St Mary’s, Zengeza 2, and in Gokwe. Registrar General Machiri said the department was aware of the floods and will move swiftly to replace the critical lost identity documents.

“Many important documents, particularly paper ones, were destroyed or badly deteriorated by water as a result of the floods, including IDs, birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates.

“Recently we had the floods that happened in Budiriro and we are aware that there was lost property and many also lost their documents,”he said.

Mr Machiri said as soon as the residents are safe, the Civil Registry will start issuing all the necessary identity documents to those affected.

“Currently, there are a number of things being done by the Ministry of Local Government and as a department, yes we will move in to assist. We cannot quickly go in as they are still doing other things to make sure that people are safe from floods both current and in the future.

“As it is, the prime thing is to move them to a safer place and later the department will move in to replace their documents, just like we did at Mpilo Hospital two years ago, when the accommodation for doctors was burned. Government moved in and gave them proper accommodation and as a department we later intervened to replace their documents; IDs, birth certificates and passports. The same thing is going to be done with Budiriro flood victims,”he said.

One of the Budiriro floods victims Mr Aleck Chipoto said lack of identity documents was one of the major issues they were facing, even though some stakeholders were contributing food and shelter.

“Right now, the assistance we have received is food and a secure place to stay. The council has also been providing us with firewood. “We are unable to return to our houses where our documents are, so we cannot apply for jobs,”he said.