Zambia commences nationwide mobile campaign for issuance of 3.5M ID documents

Zambia’s Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, has launched a nationwide enrollment exercise for the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs).

NRCs in Zambia are national ID cards by another name. They are identity documents issued to citizens and residents which serve as proof of identity for access to services requiring ID verification or authentication.

The campaign, launched at the Buseko Primary School Grounds in the town of Kitwe Thursday, April 10, seeks to make the vital document accessible to all Zambian citizens, including those in difficult-to-access communities.

A terse announcement posted on the ministry’s Facebook page urged citizens to take advantage of this new campaign which will be characterized by mobile registration efforts, to support the government as it works to ensure that every Zambian is accounted for and has access to their rightful identity.

“From the rural villages to the heart of our cities, this initiative ensures that every eligible citizen is registered, empowering you to actively participate in our nation’s growth and development,” the announcement read in part.

The current campaign is expected to last three months and targets about 3.5 million citizens for NRCs in all the ten administrative provinces of the country, specifically in far-flung areas where national registration offices do not exist.

“I have given a directive to the Registrar General to ensure that every Zambian accesses an NRC as long they are above 16. We are not charging any money for any child who is 16 years and who is coming to register. However, if you are coming to replace your card, we are only asking you to contribute 2 kwacha [0.072 USD],” Mwiimbu said during the launch of the campaign as reported by state broadcaster ZNBC.

Local authorities and opinion leaders such as traditional rulers have been urged to support the initiative by encouraging their people to show up for enrollment.

In a related development, the Zambian government has also announced that the SIM card registration campaign will be relaunched across the country in July, according to Zambia News Network. Zambia instituted a SIM registration policy a few years ago but the exercise has faced many struggles including alleged government bureaucracy.

With World Bank funding assistance, Zambia is fully on course with the implementation of its digital public infrastructure program which the government sees as a veritable driver of its digital transformation ambitions.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  identity management  |  national ID  |  Zambia  |  Zambia National Registration Cards (NRCs)