The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at registering children aged zero to six months and issuing birth certificates free of charge.
According to Claire Ollama, a registrar at NIRA, the initiative is part of efforts to strengthen the national civil registration system and ensure that every child is captured in the national register from an early age.
“This is a birth registration campaign we are taking to the mainstream to build our national registration register. It is a service everyone should partake in. This is not a one-off activity but part and parcel of what NIRA does,” Ollama said.
She explained that parents who register their children before six months will receive birth certificates at no cost.
“We are saying that if you register your baby before six months, the birth certificate is free,” she said.
Ollama added that the campaign will also involve community-based outreach programmes targeting organized groups such as churches and mosques, where registration teams will be deployed to register children on-site.
“If you belong to a church, mosque or any other group and you confirm that you have at least 10 children ready, just send us an email or notify us through our social media platforms and we will come to you,” she said.
She noted that parents will not be required to bring the children for registration during these outreaches.
“Registering a baby below six months does not require the child to be present. You only need to come with your national ID and provide the baby’s birth details,” she added.
Ollama said the group registration approach is intended to improve efficiency while ensuring adherence to public health guidelines.
She further outlined the revised fee structure for birth registration beyond the free period. Children aged seven to nine months will be charged Shs 10,000, those aged 10 months to 17 years will pay Shs 20,000, while individuals above 18 years will be required to pay Shs 50,000.
