No printers at Zaka registry

ZAKA – The deputy Minister of Finance and Economic development and Zaka East Member of Parliament has said there are no printers at Zaka registry offices and people in the district are failing to access identity documents.

Clemence Chiduwa who is ZANU PF Zaka District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson was speaking at the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting at Great Zimbabwe University’s Julius Nyerere School of Social Sciences over the weekend.

Chiduwa said they have discovered that more than 40 percent of the people in their party cells had no identity documents and could not register to vote. 

“We have finished cell structuring in Zaka district but we have discovered that a number of people in the cells have no IDs and cannot register to vote. So we approached the registry offices in Zaka with the intention of making sure that they get IDs.

“We were however told that the district office has no printers for the past three months and people are not getting IDs,” said Chiduwa.

When contacted for comment, Zaka District Registrar Cuthbert Mataruse said he was not allowed to comment to the media.

“I am not allowed to speak to the media, maybe you can get a comment from the provincial registrar,” said Mataruse.

However, other sources close to the matter said the computers malfunctioned when the registry offices opened after the long Covid-19 induced lockdown saying they were taken to Harare but were condemned and need to be replaced.

The sources indicated that the machines are too old, which resulted in them malfunctioning when registry offices reopened after lockdown last year.

“There were indications that the machines were complaining of a number of malfunctions and they were then taken to Harare for maintenance but were condemned and need to be replaced,” said the source.

The source further said the office had resorted to manual means and is now issuing the green pass (paper ids) which has a long process. 

“People are being given paper IDs, which means we have reverted back to the old system. 

“The process takes time because of film issues, with the IDs also at risk of getting wet and will need to be replaced at some point and this is inconvenient to the people of Zaka,” said the source.

The registry offices are also still centralized at Zaka Office and people are calling for the migration to Jerera for easy accessibility.

Strides have also been taken to address the registry issue with Zaka MP Ophias Murambiwa facilitating for the establishment of registry sub offices at Veza and Chivamba business centres.