Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT expects most components of the Zimbabwe Population Registry System (ZPRS) — a ground-breaking automated technology system that will interlink State departments for citizens’ easier access to services in real-time — to be operational by the end of this year.
This innovative digital system will enable Zimbabweans to access Government services, such as birth certificates, passports, and national IDs online, as well as facilitate more efficient company registration and bank account opening processes.
Additionally, the system will enhance criminal detection and border security.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe said the ZPRS is a central database of demographic information for all Zimbabwean citizens.
In an interview, Minister Kazembe said the system will allow citizens to apply for vital documents online, and provide convenient means of tracking application status.
“The ZPRS project is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs Integrated Information System. This system comprises individual pillars that feed into the main structure. The Civil Registry System, also known as the ZPRS, is the first pillar.
‘‘Additionally, the Department of Immigration has the Online Border Management System, and the police have the Integrated Information Management System. So in my view, these three systems once they are up and running, they will change the way we deliver services to the people. Once operational, these three systems will revolutionise our service delivery.
These three systems will communicate seamlessly and in real-time, making services easily accessible.
“For instance, the ZPRS will store everyone’s data, including birth, passport, and biometric information. This means that the Online Border Management System and the police’s Integrated Information Management System can access this information seamlessly and in real-time,” he said.
Minister Kazembe explained that there will be integration with all other ministries and departments.
“For instance, when you visit the Finance Ministry to open an account, you are currently required to fill out forms from scratch.
‘‘Similarly, when registering a company or visiting the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR), you are asked to complete more forms. However, with the ZPRS, all your data will be accessible at the click of a button, eliminating the need for repetitive form-filling,” he said.
Minister Kazembe also highlighted that the system will significantly enhance crime detection by interlinking the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Immigration Department, and Registrar-General’s Office on a single platform.
This integration will enable security institutions to track criminal elements more effectively and curb cross-border crime.
“If you commit a crime, the smart Police Integrated Information System will detect and flag you in real-time, leveraging the comprehensive data stored in the Civil Registry since birth,” he added.
The ZPRS serves as the primary database housing biographical and biometric information of all Zimbabwean citizens.
Government has acquired cutting-edge equipment, including servers, for upgrading the ZPRS, with the launch of the online application portal for ID documents expected by the end of the year.
Minister Kazembe said the ZPRS will be integrated with other Government services, including the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
“This integration will enable instant notifications when a child is born, triggering the automated creation of a birth certificate. The system will assign a unique number and initiate a passport number in real-time, eliminating the need for bribes or favours. That is where we are going. In my view, it is the first block of the country’s database,” he said.
The Minister confirmed that most of the pillars of the ZPRS will be up and running by the end of this year.
“The whole idea is already operational, but it is built in blocks, for example e-passport is already operational, and is a product of the ZPRS. Eventually when all is done, one should be able to apply for a passport online. We should have most of the modules working by end of this year,” he said.
