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The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage in Zimbabwe has unveiled plans to enhance its national population registry system (ZPRS) and integrate it with essential government services, facilitating the online application process for passports and national ID cards. Presently, individuals are required to submit application documents for these credentials physically.
ZPRS serves as the primary database housing biographical and biometric information of all Zimbabwean citizens.
According to reports, the government has already acquired cutting-edge equipment, including servers, for upgrading ZPRS. The launch of the online application portal for ID documents is expected by the end of the year.
Additionally, authorities aim to connect the revamped citizen database with healthcare facilities to streamline birth registration and issuance of birth certificates. This integration will enable real-time updates to the Civil Registry Department, ensuring prompt birth record creation and allocation of unique identification numbers to newborns.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe emphasized that this population registry upgrade aligns with Zimbabwe’s digital transformation agenda, which has already witnessed the rollout of biometric passports.
Minister Kazembe Kazembe clarified that contrary to rumors, the online portal for passport, ID card, and birth certificate applications is not yet operational. He assured the public that the system is still in the deployment phase, and the nation will be duly notified when it becomes operational.
These measures, according to the Minister, are designed to ensure that the digital transformation initiative benefits all citizens. In July, the Zimbabwean government introduced the Online Border Management System (OBMS) for processing visas and residence permits online.
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