After eight years of living in New Zealand, Dr Elliot Mackenzie and his family can now call themselves New Zealanders.
Dr Mackenzie, wife Dudzai and daughter Maita (11) were among 37 people who gained citizenship at a ceremony in Dunedin yesterday.
Son and brother Ega (5) was already citizens.
The family, originally from Zimbabwe, lived in Botswana for five years before moving to New Zealand.
They lived in the North Island before shifting to Dunedin, where Dr Mackenzie is a registrar of obstetrics at Queen Mary Hospital.
Mrs Mackenzie said they moved to New Zealand because it was ''peaceful'' and a good place to raise a family.
''We are happy to be here,'' her husband said.
The other new citizens are: Badreddine Belkharchouch (Algeria); Lee Keith Blair, Ann Mary Blair, Esther Sarah Holt, Dr Andrew David Hutcheon, Sarah Caroline McDougall (Britain); Iris Bugarski (Croatia); Iksun Cho, Thomas Gerard Murphy (United States); Ana Luiza Gheorghe (Romania); Gabriel Harper (China); Ropafazdo Ashley Anita Philadelphia Kadewere (Zimbabwe); Daljit Kaur (India); Cecil Henry Knight, Deborah Knight, Master Travis Knight, Tracey Anne Levey, Edwin John Levey (South Africa); Andre Guatymozin Lindemeyer (Brazil); Daniil Potapov, Julia Stuart (Russia); Maria Potapov (Japan); Fe Guzman Ramos, Edwardo Igcasenza Ramos, Glenn Castillo Cooper, Phoebe Margaret Sapida Cooper (Philippines); Tabreez Mubarak Shah (Fiji); Olanrewaju Ibrahim Shittu (Nigeria); Tomas Sobek (Czech Republic); Jessica Frances Anne Waterworth (Australia); Yew Nyuk Lau, Alexander Vun Chung Lo (Malaysia); Antoine Zoghbi (Lebanon); Krimo Guergoua (France).
-Bridget Rutherford
