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 Challenges and Issues Faced by Special Interest Groups certificate entry numbers after losing their documents (for instance lost in a natural disaster or during Gukurahundi).mental confusion resulting in failure to organize information that may assist them in getting registered, sickness and disabilities (constant illness, blindness, dementia, stroke, being bed ridden)111. They lack transport and funds to access the DRG offices. Elderly women bear the burden of looking after minor un-documented grandchildren left by their parents who either migrated or were just irresponsible or were deceased. They often lacked appreciation of the requirements. They were too poor to afford costs of registering their grandchildren. Their burden is increased when their un-documented grandchildren cannot access food aid, enrol for BEAM or fail to attend school beyond Grade 7. 4.8 Foreign Nationals from the SADC Region Foreigners who were born in Zimbabwe before 2013 to one or both parents who were citizens of a country which became a member of Southern African Development Community (SADC) and were ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe were not aware that they qualified for citizenship by birth112. As a result, they remained with their old identity cards with the restrictive alien status. They were not aware that the fee for regularisation of their citizenship was ZWL40 as opposed to the ZWL5000113. Inconsistencies from the RG’s Office in dealing with the issue of alien national identity documents and citizenship were noted. This occurred in cases where one parent was Zimbabwean and the other a nonZimbabwean. Children were issued with alien national identity documents instead of citizen national identity documents114. 4.9 Prison Inmates A large proportion of inmates115 did not have birth certificates or national identity cards. This affected their chances of furthering their education and opportunities for rehabilitation efforts such as vocational skills116. Un-documented inmates were unable to get the supporting documents and witnesses required to acquire national documents. This was because their relatives did not have money to travel and assist them to get registered or they abandoned them once they were incarcerated. Those without national identity cards were at the risk of not being granted bail. Inmates without identification documents are not eligible for age related Presidential pardons and amnesties as their ages were unknown. Children were sometimes tried in the adult justice system as their age was not known. The age estimation service in government hospitals is inefficient. The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has a bilateral agreement for interstate transfer of inmates who are convicted and sentenced in other jurisdictions, namely, Zambia and Submission by Zororai Old People’s Home in Mutare, Manicaland Province. See Section 43 of the Constitution. 113 Payable by foreigners who wish to acquire Zimbabwean citizenship by registration as per Statutory Instrument 12 of 2009 published on the DRG website http://www.rg.gov.zw/index.php/services/zimbabwean-citizenship as at 25th February 2020. 114 Contrary to Section 35 of the Constitution which provides for citizenship by descent where one of the parents is a Zimbabwean. 115 The ZHRC received written and oral submissions from inmates from Whawha Young Offenders Prison, Marondera (St Thomas) Prison, Gokwe Prison, Chinhoyi Prison and Chikurubi Prison. As part of the National Inquiry process, Commissioners undertook a field visit to Khami remand Prison and Mlondolozi Female Prison. 116 For example, in Midlands Province a total of 337 (332 males, 5 females) inmates did not have birth certificates, 352 did not have IDs (346 males, 6 females) at the time of the Public Hearing. 111 112 38 38