Nkurenkuru: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Thursday officially opened the Kavango West Regional Home Affairs Civic Office in Nkurenkuru. The new facility aims to provide essential civil registration and immigration services, bringing these services closer to the residents of the region.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the president highlighted that the building was completed two months ahead of schedule. This development is expected to significantly reduce travel and waiting times for individuals seeking identity documents, passports, and certificates. Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged the improvements made since the ministry expanded regional services in 2017, but she emphasized that more efforts are necessary to achieve universal registration.
Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that legal identity is a fundamental right for every Namibian, urging for initiatives to close the registration gap. She outlined the services that the new office will provide, which include birth, death, and marriage registration, processing of identity documents and passports, and support services for tourists and investors. The president stressed the importance of integrity in document issuance and warned officials against engaging in corrupt practices.
Highlighting the issue of fraudulent document issuance, Nandi-Ndaitwah described it as a betrayal of trust and a disservice to the country. She emphasized the need for the requirements for national documents to be widely distributed in local languages to ensure applicants understand procedures.
Addressing the topic of birth registration, Nandi-Ndaitwah noted the removal of the requirement for the father's presence and appealed to fathers to register their children. She insisted that mothers should not face obstacles when registering newborns, asserting that every child born in Namibia must enjoy their constitutional rights.
The president called for outreach programs to reach vulnerable and geographically isolated communities, linking these efforts to Namibia's commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 for legal identity by 2030. Additionally, she urged the public to maintain the new facility and its services, emphasizing the importance of cleanliness and proper maintenance of the surroundings.
Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Lucia Iipumbu, mentioned that progress will be monitored and communicated to the central government to ensure the necessary resources are allocated for achieving universal registration in Kavango West. The building, constructed by August 26, began after a groundbreaking in 2024, and it serves both residents and cross-border travelers and visitors.