NIRA lays Identity Card ink for mass enrollment, renewal

The registration for mass issuance of IDs to new citizens as well as the renewal exercise start on June 1 and runs up to September 30, 2025, officials said.

By Consolata Taaka

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) is set to hold the second mass enrollment as well as mass renewal of National Identification Cards.

The registration for mass issuance of IDs to new citizens as well as the renewal exercise start on June 1 and runs up to September 30, 2025, officials said.

To ensure steady progress of the exercise, NIRA officials have started a stakeholders engagements at the district level to sensitive citizens about the forthcoming activity.

The State Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi, presided over the first engagement at Luwero Apartments Hotel in Luwero District involving leaders from Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts as well.

Minister Muhoozi highlighted that 17.2 million people await to be registered and that 15.8 million cards that were registered in 2014/2015 and due to expire in 2025 will be renewed in eight months at the parish level.

The Minister, under whose docket NIRA operates, further noted the importance of this exercise.

The goals of this exercise is to support the identification of persons for purposes of national planning, national security, service delivery, revenue collection citizenship preservation and protection, migration management and others," he said.

However, Luwero leaders tasked NIRA to use a keen eye on the rising numbers of refugees, especially Sudanese who are alleged to bribe local leaders for recommendations to also be registered as citizens and receive IDs.

"Refugees in Luwero have bought land and some have titles, they are now landlords to some people in the area and there is absolutely no way locals can say a word about them, hence conniving with LC1 chairpersons for IDs," Sheikh Ramadan Mulindwa, the Luwero District Khadi, said.

The Nakaseke District Chairperson, Mr Ignatius Koomu, also raised a concern about the displaced documents required during the exercise hence appealing patience and lenience during the exercise.

The Executive Director of NIRA, Ms Rosemary Kisembo, said the exercise will cost over Shs600 billion and that the Authority was set to start amidst challenges of delayed supplies.

Ms Kisembo also noted that besides those updating their particulars that are required to pay Shs200,000 and those with lost IDs doing replacements, this exercise is absolutely free of charge.

Options of online services to apply for enrollment and renewal will be available and later the applicants' biometrics will be taken at the nearest enrollment site nearest to them.