Why Malawi should recognise dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is something that is good in itself and for the effects it can have on a state.

What is inherently good about dual citizenship? To answer this question one needs to understand the circumstances under which citizenship is usually acquired. In most countries, citizenship is conferred by birth, descent and naturalisation. The first two concern circumstances over which people generally have no control. One does not choose parents or heritage and the country to be born in. As a result, most people acquire their citizenship by the accident of birth and of the location of their parents at the time of birth and upbringing.

Naturalisation provides a singular opportunity to exercise choice as to the nationality a person desires. However, the choice that naturalisation offers does not really extend to the children of the naturalised citizen, for these normally automatically inherit the nationality of their parents. For dependent adult-children, naturalisation may also not be a real choice, but that of their parents.

Single citizenship best caters to the interests of those whose parents were born and raised in one country and continue to live in that country. Such people cannot owe allegiance to any other country as their family and cultural history and identity is rooted in one country.

Single citizenship does not cater for the situation of those whose parents come from more than one country, or were born or live in a country other than the country of their parent’s first nationality. The family and cultural history and identity of these transcend national boundaries which single citizenship fails to represent.

In other words, single citizenship is wrong not only because it denies the multiple national identities some people have but also because it assumes that one can owe allegiance only to one country or that those who owe allegiance to more than one country are less trustworthy or useful to a particular country.

For some, national allegiance to a country arises from the fact of having been born and raised in that country. This form of allegiance is sometimes turned into an entitlement which allows some people to make certain claims against the state.

For others, allegiance arises from the recognition of the totality of the opportunities that have been availed to them in a particular country. This source of allegiance turns into a feeling of obligation to that country.

The human mobility that globalisation makes possible means that an increasing number of people develop their identity, personality and character and nurture their livelihoods from experiences accumulated from different countries. These people might feel obligated and hence owe allegiance to more than one country.

Dual citizenship makes it possible for people with multi-national identities to retain those identities. It also makes it possible for such people to fulfil their obligations to the countries they are affiliated to.

If allegiance is seen as an obligation rather than an entitlement, it is easy to appreciate the beneficial effects of dual citizenship. On the one hand, dual citizenship would allow those that have left Malawi and acquired foreign nationalities to regain their Malawian nationality, making it possible in turn for them and their descendants to continue their Malawian identity and hence serve the country in any way they deem fit.

On the other hand, it allows those who come to Malawi and would like to contribute to the country to do so by acquiring Malawian citizenship without worrying about losing their prior citizenship. It would also make it possible for those who were born in Malawi to non-nationals and left the country to return if they so wish.

Those who apply for dual citizenship tend not to be parasites on states, for the process of acquisition of citizenship is in most countries preceded by work or business permit procedures, all of which entail satisfying rigorous eligibility requirements. We are here talking about a group of people who are capable of contributing positively to the countries they choose to align themselves with.