Only 13pc of citizens have birth certificates

Morogoro. Only 13.4 per cent of Tanzanians have birth certificates, Constitutional and Legal Affairs minister Palamagamba Kabudi has said.

Prof Kabudi said such a small percentage indicated that the government lacked information about the majority of its people.

He was opening a seminar for editors on the improvement of a registration system of civil registration and vital statistics.

Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (Rita) organised the event.

He cited a number of challenges that have been contributing to failure of citizens to obtain birth certificates. They include the cost of reaching the districts offices where the certificates are issued.

“Many citizens have been forced to register only their children, leaving many old people without birth certificates.”

However, he applauded Iringa, Shinyanga, Geita and Njombe regions for registering all children under five.

He called upon other regions to emulate them.

Rita board chairman Hamis Dihenga said the agency would continue educating the public on the importance of having birth certificates.

Meanwhile, Rita acting chief executive officer Emmy Hudson defended the agency’s decision to register the new board of trustees of CUF, which is allied to Prof Ibrahim Lipumba.

She explained that the board of trustees followed all the procedures, which included having an approval from the Registrar of Political Parties.