N AT I O N A L I N Q U I R Y R E P O R T ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION For Human Dignity CHAPTER FIVE: THE IMPACT OF LACK OF DOCUMENTATION ON THE ENJOYMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS Right to Citizenship “I have an Alien ID. I cannot vote or get a passport. I have some relatives in Mozambique, I cannot visit them because l do not have a passport…. l was advised of the 5000 dollars’ fee. Ndinoda kungoitawo zvinokwanisa kuitwawo nevamwe ndionewo kurarama zviri nani (I also want to be able to do what other people are doing for me to be able to leave a decent life), but the fees required by RG to get citizenship status is beyond my reach. I think 100 dollars would be fair.” 36-year-old male witness, Makonde, Mashonaland West Province. “I migrated from Mozambique in 1981 and I have not managed to acquire citizenship. I have 7 children born here in Zimbabwe and 2 others who were brought by wife from Mozambique. My wife is documented. She then had the children documented under her maiden surname. I am pained because I paid bride price and my children are not registered under my surname.”41-year-old male witness, Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central Province. “I do not have any identity documents as both parents are deceased. I am not so sure where l was born, I don’t know of any relatives from Mozambique. I have nothing to show that I am from Mozambique. My husband has his documents, but he is an alien. As for me I am not known, it’s as if I do not exist, and this is affecting my four children” 35-year old female from Southlea Park, Harare Province. “I want to be regarded as a citizen. During the war my parents left Zimbabwe and went to Mozambique. I was born in Mozambique. My father was a Zimbabwean and my mother was from Mozambique. My parents passed on. I remained in Mozambique and I later came to Zimbabwe in 1987. My brothers have Zimbabwean IDs I am the only one with an alien ID. I have 5 children. All my children have birth certificates. Only the second born has an alien ID” 49-year-old woman from Manicaland Province. Freedom of movement and residence “If you have a passport you can cross the border and find something to do such as being a cross border trader. I cannot visit my relatives or attend the funeral of a relative because I do not have a passport”. Female witness from Wedza, Mashonaland East Province. Two (2) best students with disabilities failed to participate in sporting festivals scheduled in the United Kingdom in 2019, because they failed to obtain passports on time despite having applied and making frequent follow ups, given the urgency. – Jairos Jiri Association Kadoma, Mashonaland West Province. “I cannot travel to visit my children. My son who is a chemical engineer graduated twice and I was not there, only my husband attended the graduation ceremonies. I also need a passport to travel abroad for an operation”. Female witness, Hwange, Matabeleland North Province. Political Rights The traditional leader representing the Brunapeg community (Matabeleland South) testified that there was a large number of people in his community who were failing to exercise their right to vote due to lack of national identity documents. Councillor in Makonde (Mashonaland West Province) raised concern that there were over 2,700 people in his ward, but only 1,200 managed to vote during the elections because others either had alien national identity documents or no national identity document at all. “I do not have a birth certificate and an ID. My parents died when I was 4 years old. I have never voted”. 45-year- old male Witness Mashonaland East “There is a large number of people in the community who are failing to exercise their right to vote due to lack of ID”. Traditional leader, Brunaperg Matabeleland South Province 91 91