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Minister says Ugandans will get the new national IDs free of charge
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) will start a new round of the national identity card registration exercise for all Ugandans in June next year, as the current IDs expire in 2024.
The new National ID will contain several new features, but will contain most of the bio data already captured, including the current NIN.
The cards will be issued free of charge, except for those who will be seeking express processing.
The Internal Affairs Minister, General Kahinda Otafiire disclosed the details of the new ID plan while speaking to journalists at the government-owned Media Center on Tuesday. This was hours after NIRA had termed as fake, reports that cabinet had made a decision to immediately scrap current IDs .
He explained that the current National IDs have a life span of ten years, which is elapsing in 2024. Otafiire revealed that in 2024, the country will migrate to improved and user-friendly National IDs due to the improvement in technology and demands of modernity.
He explained that starting in 2014, they issued National IDs with a life span of 10 years knowing that there would be technological innovations requiring the change of features on the IDs.
“Your NIN does not cease. The bio-data that was captured does not change, we shall only improve the variables captured on your ID,” he told the press.
He revealed that all Ugandans will get the new national IDs free of charge, adding that only those in need of express national IDs can apply via the internet and pay a fee of sh50,000.
“We are doing our level best to make sure that every Ugandan is registered and given his identity and every child who is born is registered and given a national identification number and also given means of identity,” Otafiire stated.
He also said that his ministry is to make sure that NIRA reaches every parish and with time to every village so that Ugandans don’t have to move long distances to register for the national IDs.
The National Identity Cards are a prerequisite for opening Bank accounts, registration of sim cards, obtaining travel documents, voting, and registration for the National Social Security Fund -NSSF for those seeking formal employment.
To secure an ID, Ugandan law require that one produces a medical birth certificate, a citizen card showing that they are Ugandans by birth, information about their biological parents and family clans and their original residential location – a process that is so tedious that many avoid it.
NIRA: We are not scrapping current National IDs https://t.co/MCBN1ZWjJ0
— The Independent (@UGIndependent) August 9, 2022
I just got a new one after mine got lost & it expires in 2032!!!
So, I don’t understand!
— Aine (@Ruthaine) August 10, 2022
VIDEO: Internal Affairs Minister Maj Gen Kahinda Otafire says gov’t to introduce the issuance of express National IDS which will cost only Shs50,000 although general issuance remains free of charge. He was Tuesday addressing journalists in Kampala. #MonitorUpdates
📹 Ben Jumbe pic.twitter.com/tfdXtnIu7h— Daily Monitor (@DailyMonitor) August 9, 2022
Birth Registration programme
Joseph Biribonwa, the chairman board of directors of the National Identification and Registration Authority, said that Uganda will be celebrating Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics day (CRVS) on Wednesday 10th August under the theme; “Harnessing coordination, Country Leadership, and Ownership to strengthen Integrated Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system a vehicle for counting everyone.”
Biribonwa also said that NIRA partnered with the ministry of education and the directorate of basic education and secondary schools to raise awareness of the importance of birth registration through the annual national Music, Dance, and Drama activities.
Rosemary Kisembo, the executive director of NIRA, said that the authority will work with citizens and the ministries department to strengthen birth and death registration for national planning and equitable resource distribution.
She also said that birth registration is free and mandatory and urged parents to register their children at birth and register all deaths in their families.
NIRA was established in 2015 to create, manage, maintain and operate the National Identification Register, assign a unique National Identification number to every person in the register and issue national identification cards to nationals and aliens.
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Except due loss or damaged, why should a National ID expire? Otherwise, it is as if one’s citizenship also expires.
My concern is the hassle and frustration that go with getting this piece of plastic in the name of national ID. E.g. it took me three years to get a NID. In other words, for the 3 year I had to borrow a SIM Card from my sister in law for my phone.
Thats good. Thanks to government of uganda programme. Long live H.E.YKTMU7&MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIR
The Executive Director NIRA
Thank you for the service
It is our humble prayer that you educate us, who is supposed to have a National ID
We also hope to get a customer friendly and dedicated team ( triage related)
In the year 2021, there was a registration of residents in Masaka; I was lost for words, when I noted individuals carrying Ugandan ID yet they could not name their home villages or next of Kin ( ??)
The exercise is very disturbing, you turn up and wait: the official arrives with a group of people and ensures that they are attended to before the ones that have been at the venue. Then others keep coming in! ( customer care)
The machines are very slow
We filled forms with three names, as they appear on the Passport, but we received identity cards with two names
We then had to be embarrassed at the Bank etc
Attempts to get other identity cards from Kololo were not successful; if I am employed, how do I wait the entire day for a minimum of three days to access a Service?! ( customer care)
When the identity cards are ready, one keeps running up and down looking for places of dispatch; again operated at the convenience of who ever is in charge ( improve communication)
So the factors that keep us away from the “national” identity card are many
When are they starting, tomorrow because for us we are tied of “okuzunga” everytime for national id
I want id
I’m not sure wether you people provide us the right time for processing a national I’d the people tell you three months I registered in August and up to now my I’d has not been processed getting a national I’d is very tiring and frustrating you wait for hours at the nira district offices . U hear people have received their national ids in less than weeks just because they pay money so how is the citizen helped for real
Thanks our good government for the good idea 💡.
We are so happy for the new ID registration.
I spend two years in kololo processing my I’d all away from dokolo district upto now WhatsApp, nothing. Nira workers are so rude WHY .
To I think it should not be called rental but replacement since the bin remains the same and there no way one can rew his being a Ugandan. We not being Ugandans for 10 years only but for life time. If it was not for technology advancement, there would not even be a need to replace an I’d. I the government for Al your endeavours.
Why why why are you taking so so long like that, actually we Ugandan we pay taxes for nothing, every social services need money money money….
As we process the new IDs, shall we continue to use the current IDs until August 2025?
Thanks,but if anyone is traveling today or tomorrow to another country and the renewal of I’d will start next year August, how then will this person be helped? Will you deny him/her from traveling? What will you do to such a person(s)?
Hlo I am Coevina, I am just inquiring about the right duration for processing a replacement, otherwise we get tired of waiting.
National IDs should remain the way they are.
Thank you for the good work NIRA.
In case someone has lost the original ID, will they be charged during the coming exercise?