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Government has announced the commencement of digitalisation of services under the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship (DNRPC), a move aimed at safeguarding data and improving access to information.
Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security Permanent Secretary, Dickson Matembo, said the initiative was being implemented in collaboration with Smart Zambia.
Matembo made the remarks during a courtesy call on the Zambian Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday. He is leading the Zambian delegation attending the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) 50th Task Force of Senior Officials and 25th Council of Ministers Meetings, as well as the 8th Public-Private Sector Dialogue Forum.
He disclosed in a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday that the Ministry has begun computerising systems for the issuance of national registration cards, passports, and citizenship documentation.
“The programme is aimed at modernising service delivery, enhancing efficiency, and improving security in the management of identity records,” Matembo said.
He added that once fully rolled out, the digitalisation initiative would allow Zambians, including those in the diaspora, to apply for identity documents online.
Addressing concerns raised by some Zambians abroad, Matembo expressed disappointment with what he described as unfounded claims that Ministry officials at Missions fail to assist citizens in obtaining identity documents.
“In many cases, such claims come from individuals who lack valid legal documents permitting them to reside in their host countries and are unable to provide the required documentation for issuance of Zambian identity papers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy, Tom Michelo, urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to engage the Ethiopian Government on operationalising the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC) signed in 2017.
He said implementing the JPCC would accelerate bilateral agreements, particularly in immigration, where Zambia continues to face challenges due to the rising number of Ethiopian illegal immigrants.
In response, Matembo reaffirmed his Ministry’s readiness to engage the Ethiopian side and directed the Mission in Addis Ababa to follow up with the Ethiopian Government so that issues of illegal immigration and related security concerns are addressed in a spirit of mutual cooperation between the two countries.
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