Best of both worlds!

By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
GOVERNMENT has implemented the Dual Citizenship clause for Zambians in the diaspora who hold citizenship of other countries.
The Citizenship Board will now register within six months any persons who ceased to be Zambian citizens as a result of acquiring the citizenship of other countries upon notification to the Citizenship Board of Zambia.
Foreign Affairs acting permanent secretary Sylvester Mundanda confirmed the development in a circular issued to Heads of Zambian missions abroad.
This is according to a statement issued by the first secretary for press at the Zambian Embassy in the United States Cosmas Chileshe.
According to Statutory Instrument (SI) number 50, The Citizenship of Zambia Regulation, 2017, provided for a person who ceased to be a citizen as a result of acquiring the citizenship of another country to apply to the board for restoration of the Zambian citizenship.
A person who ceased to be a citizen as a result of acquiring the citizenship of another country may apply to the Board for bestowal of the citizenship in Form VII set out in the first schedule.
The SI states that applicants for bestowal of citizenship who lived abroad should lodge the application with the Zambian mission in the country of that applicant’s residence or the nearest country where there was a Zambian mission.
Mr Mundanda has directed diplomats in various missions to be conversant with the provisions of SI Number 50, Citizenship of Zambia Regulation, 2017 for the purpose of sensitising Zambians in the diaspora.
And Zambia’s Charge’ D’Affaires in Washington Joseph Chilaizya has urged people in the United States who ceased to be Zambian citizens as a result of acquiring citizenship of that country to apply as soon as the mission received all the required forms for bestowal of the Zambian citizenship.
Mr Chilaizya said the Embassy of Zambia in Washington would in due course conduct sensitisation programmes to increase awareness about the new piece of legislation.