28,000 people have so far registered for national documents since the launch of the Mass Registration for National Documents campaign in February.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security is conducting the mass registration outreach programme across all 14 regions of Namibia.

So far, 13,060 new identity documents have been issued, while 4,198 duplicate IDs have been given. 

 Another 114 IDs were converted from the pre-independence South West African ID to the new national identity document.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, and Safety and Security launched the "community against crime" initiative through a tournament hosted in Kalimbeza in the Zambezi Region.

Speaking at the official opening on Thursday, the Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, and Safety and Security, Dr. Albert Kawana, said the youth, in particular, should be actively involved in fighting crime in their areas instead of being part of the problem.

Dr. Kawana added that community involvement would greatly complement the police efforts in successfully combating crime.

In a move aimed at enhancing internal security and ensuring credible national registration, Namibia and Zambia have embarked on a collaborative effort to share expertise and best practices in the fields of civil registration and identity management systems.

A high-level delegation from Zambia's National Registration, Passport, and Citizenship Department is in Namibia to engage in this knowledge-sharing initiative. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has refuted claims that it has banned click characters.

The Ministry was responding to a publication in a local daily newspaper that reported that the Ministry had turned away an individual whose surname comprises a click character.

The Ministry's Executive Director, Etienne Maritz, dismissed the allegations as untrue, saying the ministry has never implemented any policy that discriminates against any community.

Namibia's Cabinet has approved the introduction of contactless microchip identity documents.

Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Peya Mushelenga, said during his weekly Cabinet Briefing that the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security has now been directed to consider the introduction of digital ID documents that would comprise all national documents.

Among other Cabinet decisions, Dr. Mushelenga also stated that additional funding for critical activities and interventions to strengthen health systems has been approved.

Undocumented and stateless residents from Bravo Settlement in Kavango West got an opportunity to be registered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security.

The initiative was held on Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day, usually celebrated on August 10 each year.

Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day is about increasing public awareness of the importance of the timely registration of vital events, particularly births and deaths.

The Councillor of Musese Constituency in Kavango West Region, Kosmos Katura, has urged the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security to enhance civil registration outreach programmes within his constituency.

Katura's call follows a significant turnout of undocumented Namibians seeking registration at Olavi Sivute Combined School.

Katura says a considerable number of individuals, particularly children, lack national identity documents.