Zimbabwe: Whether Zimbabwe recognizes dual citizenship, in particular in the case of a person of who detains the Zambian citizenship

The following reports refer to a recent Zimbabwe Citizenship Amendment Act, which enforces with the renunciation of the dual citizenship principle in that country.

According to the British High Commission in Zimbabwe,

In accordance with the Zimbabwe Citizenship Amendment Act, the deadline for Zimbabwean citizens to complete formal renunciation of any second nationality is Sunday 6th January 2002. We understand that this amendment requires those seeking to retain or acquire Zimbabwe citizenship, and who have a second citizenship, to provide documentary proof to the Registrar General that they have renounced that foreign citizenship in terms of the other country's law by Sunday 6th January 2002. The Amendment Act specifies that anyone who has entitlement to a second nationality and has not renounced that nationality by 6th January 2002 stands automatically to lose his or her Zimbabwean nationality (Nov. 2001).

A 6 January 2002 Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) Radio 3 FM broadcast noted that:

The [Zimbabwean] registrar-general, Mr Tobaiwa Mudede, has announced the extension of deadline for the regularization of foreign citizenship by those intending to become Zimbabweans. Initially the exercise was scheduled to end today, but following an extension by one day, the processing of papers will continue at the citizenship offices until the end of the day tomorrow 7 January [2002].

A 31 August 2001 Zimbabwe Independent report noted that:

The Zimbabwean government's decision to force all dual nationals to renounce their foreign citizenship in January next year has created administrative problems for embassies and could create tension between Harare and the region. The legislation, which came into effect on July 6 [2001], requires all dual nationals to renounce their foreign citizenship by January 7 2002 if they wish to retain Zimbabwe citizenship. Those who miss the January 7 [2002] deadline will automatically lose their citizenship and might be forced to leave the country. The restoration of citizenship will cost $25 000 and take one-and-a-half years to process.

Emphasizing the possible consequences of the July 2001 Zimbabwe Citizenship Amendment Act, a 20 December 2001Financial Gazette report noted the following:

The government in July [2001] legislated for the renunciation of all foreign citizenships by January 7 [2002] but the new law has been heavily criticised for going further to insist that people with a claim to foreign citizenship, even if they do not know about it, have to renounce that citizenship to keep their Zimbabwean status.

The move has resulted in thousands of Zimbabweans with foreign-sounding surnames or of foreign parentage being denied registration and their Zimbabwean passports and national identities being confiscated by the state until they prove that they have renounced any claims to foreign citizenship.

Mike Mwale, the convener of this evening's ZIMCRO [Zimbabwe Civil Rights Organization] meeting, said the new law affected thousands of Zimbabweans of Malawian, Mozambican and Zambian origins, among others, even when they were born and bred in this country.

A 29 November 2001 Zim Today report revealed that:

If the Zimbabwe Citizenship Amendment Act 2001 is fully implemented, more than 150 000 farm workers and thousands others in the civil service and in other jobs stand to lose voting rights and even the right to live in this country.

President Robert Mugabe's administration, which has been on a crusade against minority groupings whom it accuses of ganging up against it, in July [2001] promulgated the draconian new laws that outlaw dual citizenship.

The Zimbabwe Citizenship Amendment Act gives dual citizens up to January 6 next year to renounce their foreign citizenships or any claim they might have to a foreign citizenship through either parentage or naturalisation ...

If the Harare authorities follow the requirements of the Act to the letter, more than 50 percent of the more than 350 000 farm workers, thousands of civil servants and other professionals, workers and those that have just become adults will lose their voting rights and even their right to live in Zimbabwe ...

According to Section 9 of the Act, a citizen of Zimbabwe "who at the date of commencement of the Act is also a citizen of a foreign country or at any time before that date had renounced or purported to renounce his citizenship of that country shall cease to be a citizen of Zimbabwe six months after that date" unless he or she has effectively renounced their foreign citizenship and made a declaration confirming the renunciation.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

British High Commission in Zimbabwe, Harare. November 2001. "Zimbabwe Citizenship Amendment Act: Advice for British Citizens." [Accessed 28 Jan. 2002]

The Financial Gazette [Harare]. 20 December 2001. "Zimbabweans Team Up to Fight New Citizenship Act." [Accessed 28 Jan. 2002]

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) Radio 3 FM [Harare, in English]. 6 January 2002. "Zimbabwe: Registrar-General Extends Deadline for Renouncing Dual Citizenship." (BBC Worldwide Monitoring 6 Jan. 2002]

The Zimbabwe Independent [Harare]. 31 August 2001. "Citizenship Law Sparks Outrage." [Accessed 28 Jan. 2002]

Zim Today [Harare]. 29 November 2001. Mutandwa Grace. "Govt Gets Dirty in Bid to Disenfrachise ‘Enemies.'" [Accessed 4 Feb. 2002]