WINDHOEK – Windhoek residents and those from surrounding areas queue up each morning at Home Affairs and Immigration in the Northern Industrial Area to collect what is turning out to be elusive national documents, including identification documents (IDs), with the final result being mostly disappointing.
Windhoek resident Jonas Mulangi has reached the end of his tether with the Department of Home Affairs. He says he has for the past three years failed to secure an ID, despite numerous attempts.
“I have been here since 06h30 this morning and as you can see it is now 11h00 and am still at the back of the queue,” lamented Murangi. The 25-year-old father of two is at his wits’ end after the countless attempts to obtain the vital document.
“I cannot open a bank account, I cannot apply for a driver’s licence, I cannot get a home loan and worse yet, my children cannot be issued with proper identity documents,” he said hopelessly.
“My life has basically been put on hold, I am being treated like a foreigner,” he bitterly told New Era.
His battle with Home Affairs began three years ago when, as a 25-year-old, he applied for an ID at the Northern Industrial Area.
“I did everything that was required of me and sent through my application. I was then issued with a receipt,” he said.
However, a few months went by and he heard nothing more from the ministry.
“I then decided to go back to the ministry ( Home Affairs and Immigration) to check the status of my application, but no one could answer my questions,” he said.
According to Murangi, numerous subsequent attempts to obtain information from the Department of Home Affairs were met with blank stares.
“We cannot apply for anything, I cannot send through our tax forms and I cannot vote,” says the despondent Windhoek resident.
When New Era visited the Northern Industrial Area on Wednesday there were long queues and masses of individuals who shared similar stories.
Acting Director at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration Lydia Kandetu said she was surprised to hear about Murangi’s ID dilemma.
She said she always recommends staff in each subdivision to forward or refer issues they cannot handle to the head office to deal with.
“I have always asked members to forward complaints they’re struggling with to our office here, my office is open, no one needs to book for an appointment, just walk in and we can share your problem,” she emphasised.
Asked about the long queues, Kandetu said that long queues are normal during school holidays but contingency plans are in place to handle pressure during the school holiday rush.
“We also plan to put up a mobile office to cater for school children during holidays,” she said.
She pleaded for patience as the ministry faces a backlog due to a three-month system upgrade.
“Everything will go back to normal soon,” she assured the public.
The Ministry of Home Affairs’ website www.mha.gov.na clearly reads that individuals should expect to receive their identification document within 24 days while the issuance of birth certificates requires more time.
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa