KIGOMA Urban MP Kilumbe Ng’enda has called upon officials with Mama Samia’s Legal Aid Campaign to provide civic education to residents living in the border areas to enable them access national identification cards.

Ng’enda made the call in Kigoma Municipality at the weekend when speaking during the campaign, highlighting     persistent citizenship challenges faced by border residents due to unclear data.

Ng’enda emphasised that Kigoma Region experiences   serious citizenship issues than other regions, primarily due to a lack of civic education. He called for the campaign officials to address   pressing needs.

“Many of our people lose their rights because they don’t understand the legal procedures required ,” Ng’enda stated.

“For example, someone born by a mother from Burundi and a Tanzania father or vice versa, may fail to confirm their citizenship due to a lack of awareness. This prevents them from obtaining crucial documents like the National Identification   Authority (NIDA)’s   card, driver’s licence or business permit  leading to legal problems.  

“When we hear that President Samia has initiated legal aid, we are overjoyed. We believe this initiative will help Kigoma residents access legal procedures to secure their civic rights. That’s why I urged people to attend  the campaign during the parliamentary committee meetings,” Ng’enda explained.

He expressed gratitude to President Samia for extending legal aid services to Kigoma, emphasising the  significance of issuing IDs for the citizens of the region.

“In Kigoma, our people need many rights addressed, but citizenship issues affect the majority. For instance, a young man failed to secure   police job   due to citizenship complications,” Ng’enda added.

He urged Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs to ensure lawyers assist in legal procedures to enable people obtain  citizenship.  

Dr Damas Ndumbaro, Constitutional and Legal Affairs minister affirmed that the campaign would continue at the municipal level to address citizens’ legal concerns and guarantee everyone receives the  rightful entitlement .