By Elita Chikwati
Registrar-General Mr Tobaiwa Mudede has refuted claims circulating on social media that his department will conduct mandatory DNA paternal tests before issuing birth certificates.
A paternity test establishes genetic proof whether or not a man is the biological father of an individual. Mr Mudede said DNA testing was not part of the Registrar-General’s Office responsibilities and was not even on its future plans.
He said DNA testing was usually recommended by courts after a dispute between a couple and this had nothing to do with his office.
“Our business is to issue identity certificates and birth certificates,” said Mr Mudede. “There is nowhere where we have ever indicated that we were going to conduct DNA tests.
“DNA tests are conducted by scientists in laboratories. We do not have laboratories and who am I to force people to conduct DNA tests? Where do I come in? I do not even think about that and have never contemplated on it.”
Mr Mudede said he was aware of other ways in which a man could tell if he was the biological father of a child, but had no right to deny a child a birth certificate when all requirements were met.
“If the parents are not married, they have to come together to apply for the birth certificate and I am not the one who determines who the real father is,” he said.
“The Births and Deaths Registration Act Chapter 5:02 Section 10 makes it compulsory for birth and death registration since June 20 1986. The birth certificate is an important document which confers and confirms citizenship by birth of an individual.”
Mr Mudede said in cases where parents were not available, the Registrar-General’s Office would conduct interviews before issuing a birth certificate to a relative, and there had to be enough proof before the document is issued.
He said the stringent measures were put in place to protect chil- dren.
“There are cases of child trafficking, so we cannot just give a birth certificate to anyone claiming to be related to the child,” said Mr Mudede. “There has to be proof.” Mr Mudede said the department sometimes conducted mobile registrations, but the exercise was being affected by limited resources.
He said they had since decentralised to make it easier to access identity documents. “The Registrar-General’s Department has offices in all 10 provinces and in all 72 districts,” said Mr Mudede. “We have established 206 sub-offices.
“People should make use of these sub-offices and registration offices at all major hospitals where they can obtain birth or death certificates.” The initial birth registrations and national identity documents are issued at no cost to the client. The Herald
