Ex-Zambians apply for dual citizenship

By CHUSA SICHONE –
THE Ministry of Home Affairs has started receiving applications from people seeking dual citizenship as provided for in the amended Zambian Constitution.
Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga said most of the people who had shown willingness to acquire Zambian citizenship were former nationals who had become citizens of other countries.
“Mostly so far, it has been former Zambians who took up some other nationality who are trying to reclaim their Zambian citizenship. There are very few foreign nationals trying to take up Zambian citizenship,” he said.
Dr Mulenga said some people who were interested to acquire Zambian citizenship needed to renounce their country’s citizenship as dual citizenship was not allowed in their countries of origin.
Dr Mulenga, however, could not immediately give statistics on how many people had applied for dual citizenship as he was not in the office during the time of the interview.
According to the Amended Constitution which came into effect in January this year after President Edgar Lungu assented to the Bill, a citizen shall not lose citizenship by acquiring the citizenship of another country.
The Constitution states also that a citizen who ceased to be a citizen, before the commencement of the Constitution as a result of acquiring the citizenship of another country, shall be entitled to apply, as prescribed, to the Citizenship Board of Zambia, for citizenship and the Board  shall bestow citizenship on that person.