IDs, birth certificate replacement for flood victims

THE Civil Registry Department is set to launch a blitz to replace national identity cards (IDs) and birth certificates to victims of flooding who lost their civic documents during recent incidents of adverse weather.

Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds that have pounded parts of the country since late last year have damaged close to 2 000 houses countrywide.

In Budiriro, 51 people lost their homes after Marimba River burst its banks following a heavy downpour.

In an interview, Registrar-General Mr Henry Machiri said every citizen had the right to access civic documentation.

“We have the floods that took place in Budiriro and Kuwadzana and we are aware that they lost property, and some also lost their documents,” he said.

“We know that the people are being given alternative accommodation, and when they are in safe places the department is going to move in and issue replacement documents.”

Mr Machiri said a similar programme was rolled out in 2022 to assist those who lost their homes during Cyclone Idai.

“We have got people who were affected by Cyclone Idai in Chipinge and Chimanimani, and some in Bikita as well. We had a mobile registration which specifically targeted those areas and not the whole country. In 2022, we were in Chimanimani, Chipinge and Bikita to make sure that we gave our citizens the required documents.

“We also added Tsholotsho, as they were also affected by the floods.”

Mr Machiri said the department will soon start issuing death certificates for those presumed dead after Cyclone Idai.

“There are issues of death certificates as well and according to the law, we don’t just issue a death certificate,” he continued.

“A person is declared dead by the courts, by the judges.

“Over the last two years, there have been visits to Mozambique by a team headed by the Minister of Provincial Affairs in Manicaland, which also includes stakeholders from the Ministry of Local Government, our own Minister of Home Affairs and others to investigate.

“Quite a number of bodies as well as shallow graves were found there,” he said.

He said the department will commence issuing death certificates once the victims are declared dead by the courts.

In November last year, Attorney-General Mrs Virginia Mabiza launched a class action suit at the Mutare High Court to declare 279 missing victims of Cyclone Idai dead.

Cyclone Idai struck the country in March 2019, affecting 270 000 people. The storm and subsequent flooding and landslides left at least 340 people dead and many others missing.