New ID cards launched

PRESIDENT Hage Geingob yesterday launched new Namibian identity cards.

The new cards allow Namibians to engage with neighbouring countries and could be used as travel documents.

Speaking at the launch of the new cards, minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security Albert Kawana said the fingerprint system will be replaced by a quick-response code (QRC), and the barcode would be replaced by a machine-readable zone (MRZ).

“The new-look ID card will be more secure, as the QRC and MRZ will contain elements to be read by a machine, and are not easy to forge,” he said.

Kawana said the new ID cards are compatible with the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

He expressed his excitement about Africa moving with the world.

Kawana said the advantage of the new ID cards is that they can be linked to e-governance.

“This is a welcome development, because e-governance has featured prominently in our countrys goals,” he said.

He said the current ID cards will continue to be in use, and that the migration to the new cards would be a gradual process.

“Those applying for duplicates and new ID cards will be issued with the new-look ID cards from today. New ID card applications will be issued without charge, meaning they will be free,” Kawana said.

He said Namibians wil be charged for duplicate ID cards to encourage citizens to look after these items.

According to the 2016 Namibia inter-censal demographic survey published by the Namibia Statistics Agency on birth registration and identity documents, 87,8% of the population had Namibian birth certificates, and 82,9% of the eligible population group (citizens aged 16 and above) were in possession of identity documents.

Kawana further encouraged all Namibian citizens who have not collected their ID cards after applying to approach the ministrys regional offices to do so.