National Registration Bureau (NRB) has engaged community members in Traditional Authority (T/A) Khombedza in Salima District on the importance of birth and death certificates as well as national identification card (ID).

Speaking during an awareness campaign on Tuesday, NRB Salima district principal registration officer Malla Zimba said it was their mandate to register every citizen in the country.

She said it was important for people to know the significance of getting birth and death certificates as well as national IDs.

People listen to a presentation

“For example, a death certificate, which many people think is not necessary, helps government through the Ministry of Health to diagnose which diseases are killing a lot of people and helps bereaved families to access the deceased’s bank accounts and his children scholarships or bursary as the certificate acts as evidence,” said Zimba.

A community member, Matthews Chatepa from Siyasiya in T/A Khombedza, said he learned many things through the awareness.

“Many people did not know the importance of having a national ID although some of them own IDs. We were also reluctant to replace damaged or stolen IDs but now we will get them replaced,” he said.

Another community member, Nellia Mwale from Thavite in T/A Mwanza, said she failed to access some services such as loans due to lack of an ID.

She said with the information she got from the awareness campaign, she will apply for new ID.

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