Tanzanian PM directs serious vetting of citizens applying for national IDs in border regions

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Thursday February 20 directed immigration authorities to undertake serious vetting of citizens in border regions applying for national identification cards.

"Since there were foreigners from neighboring countries residing in border regions it is very easy for them (the foreigners) to be issued with national IDs," said Majaliwa.  A statement by the Prime Minister's Office said Majaliwa made the directive shortly after Members of Parliament in Kagera Region bordering Rwanda and Uganda had complained that the people in the region were subjected to serious scrutiny before they were issued with the national IDs.

The statement said the complaints by the MPs were raised during a meeting of members of the National Executive Committee of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi for Kagera region. "The immigration department should be very strict on this. National IDs is a national security matter. People should be seriously vetted before they are issuing with the national IDs lest foreigners get the cards," he said. The issuing of national IDs is currently being undertaken by the National Identification Authority across the country.