Fourth Report of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs on the Citizenship of Zimbabwe Act
Published: 13/Juin/2007
Source: Parliament of Zimbabwe
Background
Between 1981 and 1983, the Government of Zimbabwe allowed dual citizenship. In 1983, the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Act 3 of 1983 abolished dual citizenship. Between 1983-2001, a series of amendments to the Citizenship Act were made in an attempt to implement in practice the abolition of dual citizenship. These amendments were ineffectual because they required renunciation of foreign citizenship in terms of Zimbabwean law while what would have been effective is renunciation in terms of the relevant foreign law. Finally, the citizenship of Zimbabwe Amendment Act No. 12 of 2001 effectively implemented the abolition of dual citizenship by requiring that the renunciation of foreign citizenship be made in terms of the relevant foreign law.
Proceedings of the Committee
The Registrar General (RG) appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs in the past and highlighted that those born from foreign parents had to renounce their foreign citizenship and most had not done so. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights then based on this evidence sought the audience of the Committee to present cases that had been brought before the High Court against the Registrar General who according to the Lawyers has systematically misinterpreted the Citizenship laws to unlawfully withdraw citizenship from several individuals. Both the RG and the Lawyers appeared before the Committee and also submitted written evidence.
Download file: Zim PPC Defence Home Affairs – Citizenship Act 13June2007