The pass-port office says 630 people renounced their Zambian citizenship last year.
Deputy Chief Pass-port Officer, Brenda Kabemba said these acquired citizenship in other countries.
Mrs. Kabemba said this, when she appeared before the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) Citizenship Committee.
And Chief Immigration Officer, Ndiyoyi Mutiti said there is need to review the immigration and deportation act to enable Zambians, who have renounced their citizenship to automatically acquire entry permits when they decide to come back.
Mrs. Mutiti also said the current law makes it possible for a child who is born from a Zambian and a foreigner to be a citizen.
She said though dual citizenship is legal in Zambia, the trend has a number of disadvantages such as compromise to the national security and divided allegiance.
Mrs. Mutiti also said a citizen, who has dual citizenship can easily sneak out of the country and find his way to another country if he commits a criminal offence.
[ZNBC]
”She said though dual citizenship is legal in Zambia”
I thought this was not allowed in Zambia ??
Does anyone know the facts ?
Yes #1, I thought it was illegal. I also don’t want to renounce my Zambia citizenship. Can somebody clarify for us. Citizenship Lawyers on this blog shed more light on this ..this is crucial for a lot of us
It is not very clear which is illegal. Seeking Political power with duality or ordinarily holding Dual citizenship.
The Law still states that, Zambian who seeks to obtain another citizenship should renounce the Zed Citizen. So the minister is wrong. It is illegal to hold dual citizenship in Zambia.
If dual citizenship is legal then this is very good. Renouncing your zed citizenship may come back to bite you when you are tire of muzungu’s and their countries.
Can someone help prepare these ministers/govt officials what to say before they embarass us.. Firstly, it was the education (prof.)minister saying its illeagal for students to stay outside campus unless with parents and now a whole chief immigration officer follows suit…
Dual citizenship can only make our country better. We have lost out of highly talented citizens because we have forced them to choose bewteen poverty and an easy life somewhere. We are quick to claim people when they archieve some type of fame as being Zambians when we know that they do not hold Zambian citizenship despite being born in Zambia or of Zambian parents. Establish dual citizenship and allow people the option of helping out their motherland. The most succesful countries in the world that have real security concerns have realised the advantages of this practice and embrace it. Why shouldn’t we?
i also thought its illegal to have dual citizenship in zed, can somebody please clarify as to what is legal and not coz am now confused
BY NATURALIZATION: Parliament may grant citizenship to individuals who are not eligible to become citizens under registration guidelines.
DUAL CITIZENSHIP: NOT RECOGNIZED. Exceptions: Child born abroad to Zambian parents, who obtains citizenship of country of birth. Dual citizenship is recognized until the age of 22. Upon reaching the age of maturity, the person must choose one nationality or lose Zambian citizenship.
Child of foreign parents, who is born in Zambia, acquires parental and Zambian citizenships. This dual citizenship is recognized until age 21 when person must register with Citizenship Board if the person chooses to become a Zambian citizen.
i have a question
is it possible for someone who is not from zed but who has a baby with a zambian to obtain the zambian citizenship via the baby?????
Upon confirmation of Zambian citizenship, person has three months to renounce the second citizenship (of parents). Dual citizenship will continue to be recognized until age 22.
Zambian spouse, who acquires a foreign citizenship through marriage, is allowed dual nationality for 3 months. Within the 3-month period, they should have renounced their foreign citizenship, taken an oath of allegiance, and registered their intention concerning residence.
Person seeking Zambian citizenship, who is not able to renounce their previous citizenship, need not make such a renunciation and can hold two nationalities. However, the person may be required to make a declaration concerning their previous citiz
enship and Zambian loyalty.
LOSS OF CITIZENSHIP: Zambia’s Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of their citizenship if it would leave them stateless.
VOLUNTARY: To voluntarily renounce citizenship, a letter should be sent to the consular office of the nearest Zambian embassy. The embassy will forward the renunciation to the Minister of Home Affairs where the renunciation will be registered and published in the Gazette. Once published, citizenship is lost.
INVOLUNTARY: The following is grounds for involuntary loss of Zambian citizenship: Person voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship, other than through marriage.
There are a hundred ways to go around these laws (without breaking them) so you don’t really have to denounce your citizenship.
if I am married to a south African wife, we have children together and I have been living and working in SA for more than 15 years now, can I apply for dual citizenship? I was born in Zambia.
Every man has the right to decide his own destiny, said one great man and I agree. As for me, I have vowed never to renounce my Zambian citizenship as long as I live. It will have to take a civil war to stop me from coming back home.
This is news…real news. I mean I gat friends working for the department of migration and naturalisation under the ministry of home affairs, and not a single one of them heard of a Zambian, indigeneous zambian, renouncing their citizenship. A couple of them mentioned a dozen or two Zambians of Indian decent, and Zambians of Congo decent. Statistics are still indicating that most indigeneous zedians opt for dual citizenship, though the law still forbids it.
Very, very intresting topic,this should probably be presented to the goverment so they can look into this one on a more positive scale has this would help alot of zambian’s abroad to confidently invest back home without fear of repercussion’s. Sometimes i feel like giving in to this foreign passport but looking at my country through the shouders is the hardest challenge am yet to face coz am too zambian, man!!
Why are you pple worried about whether or not you renounce your citizenship. EMMANUEL NYIRENDA, permanent secretary at the information ministry is a Malawan who has never rennounced his citizenship. He worked for the then Malawi information services as a photographer. Came to Zambia to take pictures of the members of Lenshina in Chinsali(Not far from Lundazi which borders Malawi).
He has never gone back and never took the camera back. In Zambia he has served as deputy ambassador (UK), Managing director and editor in chief Times and Daily Mail. Now is PS. get tips from him on how he has survived.
Dual nationality is good for the country, as it brings growth and people are able to look after their old relatives. Home is home noone ever wants to renounce their citizenship because of another country.
So embrace the idea!
Dual citizenship will only work to Zambia’s advantage. I have met a lot people born in Zambia ” muzungus” who are very supportive of us Zambians living in the diaspora, more supportive than our embassies/high commissions and raise a lot of money for the underprivilaged in Zambia. These people can do more if they were allowed Zambian citizenship.
Mrs Mutiti says that having Dual Citizenship would compromise national security?This is really absurd as most people like Chungu have only the Zed citizenship to my knowlwedge.
We have to recognise the status of people with external ties as Zambia in general will greatly benefit from this.
KK is a good example of this arrangement.
#15 Are you sure or you are just bluffing?
This is simple….if need be acquire a passport in the country you live and still keep your Zed passport. In Aussie they never take away your passport when you become an Aussie citizen so that gives you room to keep your Zed passport.
The Zambian law does not allow for dual citizenship unless the minister has secretly introduced a clause onto the statutes. Much as I do not admire Nyirenda and his bootlicking nature I dont think #15 is telling the truth. Most Tumbukas are always suspected of being Malawian because they are in both nations. In South Africa Tswanas will be lumped with Botswana etc etc. If Nyirenda has stayed in Zambia for more than 10 years and prefers to be Zambian he should be allowed to.
Zambain or not Zambian! whats the point? There more Pressing ISSUES in this country ,its a a shame that you sit nd discuss such matters!
Zambians my foot!
It should be dual otherwise am renouncing so that I can be able to vote or move from one country to another without restrictions.
It is too expensive to go through immigration if you are not a citizen and you are treated like criminals while at the office. Better be a citizen.
What do you think people?
I DO NOT NEED TO READ OTHER BLOGGERS CONTRIBUTIONS. BUT, THIS IS NEWS TO ME. SINCE WHEN WAS DUAL CITIZENSHIP BECOME LEGAL IN ZAMBIA? PLEASE, BLOGGERS, HELP, I NEED TO KNOW. THIS IS NOT TO SAY I WANT TO DENOUNCE MINE. BUT, THE FEW WHO DO OR WILL DO CAN HELP A LOT IN THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF THE COUNTRY. CONTRARY TO THE Deputy Chief Pass-port Officer, Brenda Kabemba, this can bring a lot of economic developments. Zambians abroad can borrow money from abroad/overseas to finance projects in Zambia. Loans which may not be possible in Zambia. There are many more benefits, anyway.
#8-11, I think bloggers would be more interested in those 100 ways to go round the law in order to retain ones Zambia citizenship more than what you have blogged above. Its not like Zambians in diaspora want to be double standard-No. They only want to utilize the advantages of being a Zambian and being abroad. The official is mistake when she says, and I quote “She said though dual citizenship is legal in Zambia, the trend has a number of disadvantages such as compromise to the national security and divided allegiance.” These ministers and other govt officials must be educated on this issue. They always misaunderstand it. There are more advantages to ones country of origin of being a dual…
…citizen economically (etc), than there are for the country where that individual, permanently recides. Please, ministers and grz officials, take a simple research on this matter. Don’t just hate and feel jealousy about Zambians abroad. Most Zambians I ve met overseas are very intellegent, wise and reasonable and therefore, really want to do something back home. Only, disadvantaged by the Zambian descriminatory laws. If you are in doubt, just look at the foreign investors incentives. Zambians abroad dont even happen to have any.
See highly qualified Zambian professionals working outside at mwape.com.
Is this news LT? #3 point of correction, Mutiti is not a minister, she is the Chief of Immigration. #15 I am not sure your observations are based on fact.
From what i know, its illegal to have dual citizenship in Zambia. I have dual citizenship but can not renounce my zed citizenship. The only reason why i have dual citizenship is so i can travel around the world without having to be treated like a person who will eventually become an illegal immigrant after entering a country. Obtaining a visa on zed passport can be a nightmare regardless of what your purpose of travel is. I still use my zed passport to go back home but every where else, i use my other passport and it has been an absolute pleasure.
Please introduce dual citizenship, my wife is Namibian and my son has a Namibian birth certificate, I want to be Namibian but at the same time, I don’t want to renounce by Zed. lets be like Nigerians and Ghanians, where you can be both. Zed its all cheap politics. Look at Obama, I am sure by law is not a Kenyan, shame on us.
New Passports next month
The Issuance of new passports is expected to start next month.
Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Susan Sikaneta said the government has already put into place necessary logistics such as equipment for the entire process which kick start’s in July.
She told ZNBC news that training and recruitment of staff who will mann the new office is expected to start this month end.
The Home Affairs Permanent Secretary noted that Zambia decided to join the international community by bringing in a new passport with sophisticated features that cannot be forged.
Fellow bloggers, help me. Am in reciept of an E-mail purpoting that Iam one of the lucky winners of U.S Visa through internet email extracting and screening machine. I have been advised to claim this. For those in the know, please advise me, are these things true or just a hoax mail?
#34 if you didnt apply for the U.S Visa then you have a hoax mail and please dont dare respond its pure scam.
#34 you are one of the luck ones!! congrats my brother. very soon you can have a dual citizenship. The american dream wow wow
“She said though dual citizenship is legal in Zambia, the trend has a number of disadvantages such as compromise to the national security and divided allegiance.
Mrs. Mutiti also said a citizen, who has dual citizenship can easily sneak out of the country and find his way to another country if he commits a criminal offence.”
These are some of the assertations that have worked to the disadvantage of Zambia as a whole. It just means, we lack control at various levels of governmnent. Tell me, countries which are more prone to the so called security threat; America as an example have dual citizenship, what of Zambia as poor as it is. We are just afraid of nothing and the so called constitut
ion left to us by the british has eneded up entangling us more than liberating us. How come its easy to get citizenship in UK while the copy cat Zambia, its hard? To whose adavantage does it work? Polotical borders just brought conflicts as for example the chiefdoms which overlap are left wondering where the subjects fall. e.g Namwangas in Isoka Nakonde may be found in Tanzania and Malawi, the localities they call home yet the political set up descriminates them and quarantines them to a particular region.
Lets just allow multiple citizenship but one at a time allegience.
#34 be careful who is behind it. pray over it.
this dual citizenship crap is nauseating. what do we do now?
The banning of dual citizen ship in Zambia was to stop the muzungus who were born in zambia to british parents gaining an advantage over indiginous Zambians.
But now indiginous Zambians with a chance of getting citizanship of another country has far out numbered those muzugus.
This is an old law and should change with the times.
GRZ officals do not see the benifits dual citizens would bring, and are just jealous of you chaps.
# 31 lucky guy, that’s all most of us has hoped for, travelling freely on a “good passport” and not giving up on our motherland! How did you manage to keep both? The zambian embassy usually asks you to surrender the Zambian passport and NRC after you have renounced the citizenship before you can get another passport and citizenship from a different country.
Zambia should allow indigenous Zambians, the freedom of reclaiming the Zambian citizenship at anytime of choice!
Its our birth right to come back to our Motherland, or should we be butchered like the 6 million jews who had no homeland to go to in time of crisis? A passport is only a piece of document, our black skin is our birthmark!
This shows the calibre of our ministers.How can a minister make such a mistake when she has been in this job for some time now then she parades her ignorance on what she should know better.Why not find out from her colleague from the legal affairs or are they also ignorant.
Please lets think before putting people into office
Dual citizenship is one of the topics suggested in the new constitution I believe; Rules/constitutions are made for the people & not the other way round. Zambians both home & abroad marry foreign nationals freely, their offspring I believe should have the right at least from the zambian side, to have dual nationality.
It is time the powers that be woke up to the realisation that Manpower is a powerful EXPORT resource that benefits many countries abroad, muscling in large chunks of their forex per capita becoz they “incentivise” their nationals. It’s not only forex that is earned, but high caliber “techno-know-how” allowing the country to leap, rather than take the slow slog to development.
Place of one’s birth, is one’s birth-right, just as is one’s right to life, secondary citizenship as the term implies is just that, & it’s the only one that can be rightly stripped from someone; as such, Zambians by birth cannot be denied their birth right, becoz technically & in reality, it’s the last place they can be deported to if it had to come to that.
May i know who Indeginous Zedians are? I have failed to trace any single person who will convince me that they sprouted out of no where but Zambian soil. We all learn History and know about Human Migration.Is it the Tongas?Lenjes? Kaondes? Tumbukas?Bembas etc? or Lozis?
NEITHER QUALIFY AS ORIGINAL ZAMBIANS. So why put descriminatory instruments in the constitution when the developed countries have struck such barbaric acts out of there constitutions?
May some one answer meeeeeeeeee
Dual citizenship is good for Zambians especially those in South Africa.
Someone says dual citizenship will allow us to benefit from people like KK with external links!!!!!!
HEY!! Super Ken in 27 years never advocated dual citizenship! Remember in 1991 he even reminded Dipak Patel that Zambia did not allow dual citizenship!!
@Shi Mpundu,
You forget too easily. There is nothing super about Ken.
Solola Bye!
It would be nice if zambia could recognize dual citizenship. Some of you may think its crap but it is very serious to zambians living abroad. I happen to be that zambian, soon to be American. Its a pity have had to choose between the two countries. Must admit i am treated better when applying for visas just by the fact that i am a permanent resident and later on at points of entry whereever i go. Anyway, no one can take away the zambian in me.
yes its bets that zed allows dual, we are a poor country..what else do we have to loose? come on we need loans and equipment from other countreis to come and develop our country(zed) one zed one nation!!!
I strongly agree with most of the veiws held by the members of this forum! dual Citizenship should be allowed under legitimate circumstances and by that i should emphasis that it should be for greater of all zambians. For as long as one does not use such a privelege to detriment our motherland Zambia then it should be supported. However, i cannot blame the Govt for deprieving us for it is a know fact that some use for ulterior purposes. I for one will, maintain dual citizenship regardless of what the laws states!
I am applying for a Zambian passport because my father and grandfather are Zambians and although I was born in South Africa, I love Zambia and it’s people. I desparately want to move there. I also want to invest in a business in Zambia, but cannot unless I have my passport or $500 000 (which I do not have). In my opinion, renouncing all other citizenships goes against the basic democratic human right – freedom of choice.
It scares me to think that my siblings, parents, grand parents, aunties, uncles and cousins will have a different nationality to mine and my offsprings. What a shame Zambia, oh what a huge shame.
Times have changed and Zambia is no better than the developed countries. Let’s keep up with the signs of the times and authenticate that dual citizenship for a better Zambia. Do not politicize my nationality, i will forever be Zambian but cut from the liberty of being a citizen in my own country.
Zambians believe in ‘ulupwa’, ‘chibululu’, call it out in every language and the goverment seems to believe in isolation: of course not ignoring the potential of investment.
And please this is not a forum for attacking other contributors, no wonder we still follow an ancient law. Zambians…
Could someone please help me?
I was born in Zambia in 1960. I was 3 yrs old when we immigrated to South Africa. Do I qualify for dual citizenship? I want to visit there and do some site seeing,see where I was born etc. But I want to stay there for at least a year or two.
i have a question
is it possible for someone who is not from zed but who has a baby with a zambian to obtain the zambian citizenship via the baby?????
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