The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has alleged that authorities are forcing residents of Mwenezi East to obtain birth certificates and identity cards to enable them to register in the forthcoming by election.

In an alert issued yesterday, ZPP said the registration took place at Chingwizi Primary School in ward 13 from February 24 to March 1. “It is alleged that Hardlife Mudavanhu and the Rutenga Registration Department are demanding $5 to $10 from villagers in order to obtain these national documents for them,” the human rights watchdog said in the alert.

“Those villagers who cannot raise the money are being asked to give up their goats or chickens in order to obtain the national documents. “Those without money or livestock were not attended to. Ruling party cards and name tags were also given to those who participated in the programme.”

ZPP said Home Affairs deputy minister, Obedingwa Mguni said that citizens may pay a small fee in cases where national documents were lost.

“He described taking of livestock for purposes of paying for national documents as outright criminal and urged those affected to report the culprits to the nearest police station,” said the group.

Section 35(3)(c) of the Constitution stipulates that all citizens are entitled to birth certificates and national IDs.

The Constitution does not make any provisions for citizens to pay for the services of the registrar general using livestock.

“National registration documents must not be given at partisan political events in pursuit of narrow political interests,” ZPP said.

“The actions of the Rutenga Registration Department amount to unjustified deprivation of property of villagers, who are already suffering from the adverse economic conditions obtaining in the country.”

The watchdog urged the ministry of Home Affairs to investigate the officers involved in the matter and take corrective action.

“Those, who lost their livestock under this scam, must be restituted and the natural consequences of the law must follow,” it said.

The Mwenezi East by-election will be held on April 8 to fill a vacancy created by the death of Joshua Moyo of Zanu PF in December last year.

Zanu PF’s Joosbi Omar will battle it out with Zimbabwe People First official, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Welcome Masuku of the National Constitutional Assembly and Turner Mhango of Free Zimbabwe Congress Party. – Agencies