National IDs:Government still looking for suitable...
2007-12-28 09:00:23
By Judica Tarimo
The government has said it is still looking for a competent contractor for the preparation of the long-awaited national identity cards, a project that has remained on the drawing board for years.
Home Affairs Minister Joseph Mungai said yesterday that the government had already appointed an international consultant to assist in the search for the contractor.
``We have already appointed a consultant who will collaborate with the government in finding a suitable contractor who will be commissioned the task of designing and preparing the identity cards,`` said Mungai at a news conference.
According to the minister, implementation of the project was delayed because of numerous components and features that need to be incorporated in the respective cards.
``There are a lot of things to incorporate�we are thinking of incorporating voter registration data, date of birth and many other features in the same card it`s kind of an interface system.
So, it needs time and specialized expertise to integrate all these things in the same system,`` said the minister, adding:
``That`s why we appointed an international consultant to support the government with prerequisite techniques and expertise to design national ID cards containing different things.``
Basically, identity cards that contain a variety of components, according to Mungai, are expected to cost about USD 150m, which is high compared to the money to be spent on preparing plain identity cards that do not contain other features and components.
``In fact, the government wiould spend less on plain identity cards�but I cannot produce specific figures at the moment,`` he clarified.
Meanwhile, the government yesterday allayed public fears that dual citizenship arrangement, currently in the pipeline, would be used as hideouts for international criminals and terrorists.
Home Affairs minister issued the statement to clear public doubts yesterday when responding to questions posed by journalists during a news conference.
Concerns were that some of the foreign nationals may use dual citizenship citizen to commit crime in one country and pose as good citizen in one under the umbrella of dual citizen status.
Journalists expressed doubts that some of the foreigners, who would be granted Tanzanian citizenship, could use the country as hideouts.
But Mungai said: ``Current procedures for the application of the country`s citizenship will not be changed they will not scrapped under the dual citizenship arrangement.
Foreigners applying for dual citizenship would be subjected to the same procedures, criteria and requirements.
``I am sure nobody would use dual citizenship as loophole for criminal acts, because of our current strict and stringent procedures for citizenship application would remain unchanged.``
The government, Mungai said, is still working dual citizenship arrangement, which is widely eyed as potential instrument for massive local investment and development projects by Tanzanians living abroad.
SOURCE: Guardian