 Legal experts have called for the country’s immigration laws to be amended, saying the existing legislation is prone to manipulation by foreigners in the wake of the indigenisation and economic empowerment policy.
Since the enactment of the indigenisation and economic empowerment policy, there has been a rush from foreigners acquiring citizenship status for them to be regarded as indigenous people, a situation that has prejudiced locals.
Some have gone to the extent of entering into marriages of convenience to own businesses.
Legal expert, Mr. Fortune Chasi said the country’s immigration laws are too relaxed and do not examine individuals applying for citizenship status.
Advocate Aston Musunga said there is urgent need to review the laws as they have become outdated and no longer meet trends in other countries.
Unlike the situation in Zimbabwe where one can acquire a citizenship status within months, in other countries such as the UK, one can take more than 10 years to have one.
The United Kingdom in 2009 introduced a three tier Immigration Act where one acquires a temporary residence permit after five years if he has met the required stipulates.
The next stage will be a probationary citizenship for between one to five years then a citizenship status or permanent residence is issued.
To get through the stages, one should not have been absent in the UK for more than 450 days in the past five years plus 90 days in the year before applying.
In between there are rigorous tests that one is subjected to.
South Africa also has such almost similar laws.
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