Mandunyane — President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has promised Bazezuru of Mandunyane that he will send a delegation to the village to address their challenge of having to renounce their Zimbabwean citizenship each time they apply for the renewal of the National Identity card or Omang.

Village headman, Mr Edward Hamadziripi had in his welcome remarks complained about the long-standing issue and pleaded with President Masisi to intervene.

He said it was a challenge to renew Omang because applicants were required to present witnesses that were 10 years older than the applicant.

He said it made life unbearable for senior citizens who did not have someone to witness for them because the majority were young.

He noted that the Bazezuru of Mandunyane had settled in the area as far back as 1958.

Sister Esnath Rameck, who together with six other sisters from countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia who reside at the Africa Gospel Church in Mandunyane, echoed Mr Hamadziripi's sentiments.

President Masisi had paid the Bazezuru of Mandunyane a visit on Saturday.

He vowed that he would use his powers to ensure that the matter, and all other issues that did not profit the nation, were addressed.

He said the use of the mother tongue, which has been kick-started in some schools around the country, was testimony of the seriousness with which his government embraced Batswana's divergent cultures.

President Masisi also promised that the Bazezuru school in Mandunyane would start using Shona as a language of instruction, and encouraged them to start writing books and doing films in Shona as a way of preserving their culture.

BOPA