Hertta-Maria Amutenja
Home affairs minister Lucia Ipumbu has urged parents and guardians in Karasburg and surrounding areas to register their children immediately after birth.
She made the call on Monday during the official opening of a new subregional office for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security.
“These services are here at your doorstep, and please note that birth registration is free of charge. It is important to register your child immediately after birth to ensure, in addition to the obligations I mentioned earlier, access to essential services such as health, education and, where applicable, social grants,” said Ipumbu.
She reminded residents that every child has the right to a name and a nationality from birth, as stated in the Constitution.
“Article 15 of the Constitution of our Republic provides that ‘children shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, subject to legislation enacted in the best interest of children, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by their parents’,” she said.
Ipumbu also referred to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which promotes identity for all, including free birth registration.
She explained that the department of civil registration offers services such as the registration of births and deaths, issuance of national documents, and applications for duplicate and corrected certificates.
The previous sub-regional office in Karasburg was opened in 2008 and operated from the old hospital building. The ministry said the location had limited space and was not suitable for staff or clients.
In 2021, after the completion of a new police station, the Namibian Police Force donated its old building to the ministry. This allowed the relocation of immigration and civil registration services to premises closer to the police.
“Located a distance away from the central business district and being far from the police station where clients would at times be required to provide declarations and affidavits, the office was not conveniently placed, especially for senior citizens,” Ipumbu said.
The new Karasburg office now offers civil registration and immigration services, including applications for passports, visas, and citizenship.
Ipumbu said the ministry plans to expand services during the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year to include identity document applications.
“I have also noted the long distances the inhabitants of Karasburg travel to Keetmanshoop for ID services, which are more than 200 kilometres away. Plans are therefore in place for this office to expand its service offering to include ID services during the fourth quarter of this financial year,” she said.
