by Cindy Harper, Reclaim The Net:
Africa is the testing ground for many digital ID tools.
The southern African nation of Zimbabwe announced it is working on an integrated digital ID system to streamline the delivery of government services.
In an interview with the local newspaper The Chronicle, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe said that the digital system would allow citizens to apply for biometric passports, register births, apply for national IDs, facilitate border crossings, and help law enforcement agencies monitor criminal activities.
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“This system will allow you to apply for your passport or anything on your phone,” the minister said.
Kazembe said that the system could be ready in the next six months. It will connect different government agencies, ministries, and departments to improve the delivery of government services.
A notable feature of the system, according to the minister, will be the automation of birth registration. He claimed that the system will be linked to the Ministry of Health and Child Care and healthcare facilities. So, the civil registration office will automatically be notified of births and the record made immediately.
The digital system will also be linked to the Zimbabwe police, the Office of the Registrar-General, and the Immigration Department, allowing the monitoring of online criminal activities.
The system’s integration with the Immigration Department will allow authorities to identify immigrants who have overstayed.
