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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | With about 15.8 million Ugandan National IDs set to expire between August 2024 to December 2025, Government has decided to extend the validity of all these cards by one year.
Gen David Muhoozi, Minister of State for Internal Affairs told Parliament’s Committee of Defense today that the body responsible for registrations and IDs National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) faced delays in issuing new IDs, thus the decision to change the expiry dates. NIRA is also required to deliver data to Electoral Commission by 30th November 2024, that will be used as the national voters’ register ahead of the 2026 general elections,
He explained that the earlier planned June 2024 scheduled mass enrollment exercise faced delays occasioned by the due diligence that had to be conducted on the company that was meant to deliver the national security system. That system was meant to be used in the exercise, but the contract was only finally signed on 8th July 2024.
“Because we need time in between to ensure that business continues and people aren’t disrupted, that anxiety you alluded to and we have done so by extension of one year plus or minus so that we ensure that people don’t get upset by what they do,” Muhoozi told the committee.
NIRA has previously explained that because several features on the IDs degenrate mainly because of wear and tear, including changes in facial features, to ensure they have up to date data on users of the IDs, they have to be renewed before they cannot be read by their systems.
The pic below is depiction of facial changes that an individual might get over time, and yet NIRA is expected have an update National Identification Register. Even without an expiry on the card, the material used becomes (unrecognizable) unreadable after 10 years. https://t.co/0WQ0dj9P0u pic.twitter.com/tHSRU30f7J
— Peter Okwalinga Jr. (@Oquals) August 15, 2024
He explained that the extension would be done through a Statutory Instrument Amendment No.2, Regulations 2024 already published in the gazette on 12th August 2024. “… So the IDs that were due to expire within that period will be extended by one year. This should sort the anxiety that was starting in the public regarding on, what do we do, between now and when we get the new IDs? ,” said Muhoozi.
Minister Muhoozi informed the Committee that unregistered citizens are recorded as 17.2million, while the cards expiring by January 2025 are 3.7million and the cards expiring beginning August 2024 to 31st December 2025 are 15.8million.
NIRA Executive Director, Rosemary Kisembo early this month said the Authority was still awaiting registration equipment, key to the exercise.
To address the gap of unregistered citizens, NIRA proposed a mass registration exercise before the end of this year. The two-month exercise was initially set to start in early June but was delayed.
Kisembo told journalists, “there are eight key items that we need to arrive in the country: the data center, registration kits, card printing equipment, blank cards, and the completion of system customization. These are the items on the critical path.”
ID Registration ongoing, changing particulars on card possible
She also revealed that the National ID registration has been ongoing and has never stopped. Despite the arrangements by NIRA to organize Mass enrollment exercise, an individual can still go to any of the offices and be enrolled.
“During this period one can visit any NIRA office to register for a NINs (citizens from 0-15 years), National ID cards (citizens 16+years), replace their cards, apply for change of particulars on their cards even before the commencement of the exercise. Procedures can be accessed from the NIRA website, socials, toll free No. 0800211700 or by visiting any NIRA office,” NIRA said in a statement.
Two links with precise details on procedures for change of particulars on your NIN or #NationalIDUg card https://t.co/DxZcyikWZt and https://t.co/TIYmAcx6pH pic.twitter.com/PItWJrPdVY
— NIRA (@NIRA_Ug) August 15, 2024
On complaints related to errors and change of particulars, NIRA clarified that there are two types of them namely; one that might have occurred from the NIRA side. An application is encouraged to examine their card when picking before signing for it.
Should they observe an error, they should indicate it to the issuing office and the rectification process is initiated immediately.
The other changes are the ones in which the bears of the card desires to make, including adding or dropping a name, change of spouse, religion, parents, total change of name and date of birth among others. For these, they follow particular procedures, as the burden of proof is upon them to indicate to the Authority why they would want to change and on what basis.
Earlier today the Minister of State for @mia_uga with a delegation from @DCICUg & @NIRA_Ug appeared before the @UgParliament committee on Defense and Internal Affairs. Among other things in response to the matter regarding #NationalIDUg cards, due to expire this year, the… pic.twitter.com/KNTx8mnIDm
— NIRA (@NIRA_Ug) August 15, 2024
Seguku entebbe road
I agree with Gen muhozi
That’s a good idea