By Costa Nkomo
Human rights defender Namatai Kwekweza has issued an ultimatum to Registrar General Henry Machiri, demanding the issuance of her national identity card within 48 hours.
Failure to comply will result in legal action against Machiri in his personal capacity, according to her legal representatives, who argue there is no lawful basis for the refusal.
Kwekweza, who was arrested in July alongside fellow activists Samuel Gwenzi and Robson Chere at Robert Mugabe International Airport, spent 35 days in detention before being granted bail in August.
Following her release, she attempted to replace her damaged ID card at a Harare registry office but was informed she was on a “Stop List,” preventing her from obtaining the document.
Her lawyers, Tinashe Chinopfukutwa and Kelvin Kabaya of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), contend that the refusal violates Section 35(3)(c) of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to a national identity document. They emphasize that this right is fundamental and not subject to any pending or past criminal charges.
“Every Zimbabwean citizen is entitled to a national identity document, regardless of whether they face pending criminal allegations. Even convicted prisoners retain this right,” the lawyers wrote in a letter addressed to Machiri.
ZLHR revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that registry officials claimed the refusal stemmed from a 2020 case in which Kwekweza was implicated but later acquitted. The organization dismissed the justification as baseless and unlawful.
The letter demands that Kwekweza be allowed to replace her ID card within 48 hours. Should the Registrar General fail to act, her legal team plans to initiate court proceedings, holding him personally liable for legal costs.
