Tanzania: State Considers Giving Civic Education to Students Over National IDs

Published: 7/Jun/2022
Source: Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

By Katare Mbashiru and Bernard Lugongo

THE Home Affairs Ministry has pledged to collaborate with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to provide civic education to secondary school students who reach the age of 18 years ahead of being issued with National Identification Cards (IDs).

The eligible citizens for getting the IDs are those legal residents aged 18 years and above. Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Jumanne Sagini, told the August House here on Tuesday during the question-answer session that his docket will collaborate with the ministry of education to give civic education to students before getting national IDs.

His statement came after a question from Nkenge Member of Parliament, Mr Florent Kyombo (CCM), who raised concern over challenges his constituents were facing in accessing the IDs.

“When will the residents of Nkenge, who are yet to get the IDs or registration, be recognised as citizens who have rights to get those IDs?” he asked.

The deputy minister explained that the government has a duty of ensuring citizens, including those in Nkenge constituency have access to the national IDs. He informed Parliament that in Kagera Region, a total of 1,009,653 citizens have been registered and recognised after verification of their applications.

A total of 310,847 identity cards for residents of Kagera Region were produced. In Misenyi District, which includes Nkenge constituency, 85,439 citizens have been registered and recognised, whereby 32,235 of them have been given National Identification Number (NIN), which they use for getting various services.

So far, 24,694 national identity cards were given to citizens in the district. The deputy minister further directed officials of the National Identification Authority (NIDA) to make sure that verification on citizenship for applicants of the IDs should not take much time.

It was noted with concern that delays in verification were creating incontinence in the exercise of issuing the national IDs.

Read original article: https://dailynews.co.tz/news/2022-06-07629f5ba65b9d9.aspx

Themes: ID Documents and Passports
Regions: Tanzania
Year: 2022