Only those who had NINs April 11 will beat SIMcard deadline

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has clarified that only those with National Identification Numbers (NINs) will beat the the SIM-card registration deadline of Thursday April 20.

Gilbert Kadilo, the public relations and corporate affairs manager at NIRA told NTV Monday morning that the process of citizen verification takes more than a week, which means those registering now can only re-register the information on their SIM-cards after tomorrow’s deadline. If the deadline is maintained by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), all these subscribers will therefore be switched off.

“We cannot change the process of citizen verification for short term gain,” Kadilo said. He said those now rushing to their registration centres to get Identification Cards for the first time, will only get numbers confirming their forms are being processed, and can only get NINs after a while.

“If you are registering your ID today, you won’t be able to have your sim card registered since the process has to be followed. What you will get now is an ID application number, before you get an NIN after NIR has verified your citizenship details”

He also clarified that NIR is not sharing any data with the telecoms, but simply informing them if or not their subscribers have national IDs. “The telecoms sends us verification data, we process it at NIRA and simply tell them YES or NO if the subscriber is identified,” said Kadilo.

If you are registering your ID today, you won’t be able to have your sim card registered since the process has to be followed #MorningAtNTV pic.twitter.com/9FyGdW36T2

— NTV UGANDA (@ntvuganda) April 17, 2017

He explained the only data shared between them is the name and ID number.

Kadilo also revealed NIR plans to improve the process of collecting data, with the registration of school children. Beginning May 2017, pupils and students aged five to 16 will be registered by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA).

The Uganda Law Society and the Uganda IT association have challenged the ongoing deadline set by UCC. (SEE LETTERS BOTTOM OF STORY)

The National Identification and Registration Authority is mandated by the Registration of Persons Act 2015 to carry out different functions. The core services of the National Identification and Registration Authority issuance of certificates of Births, Deaths and Adoption orders as is mandated under the Registration of Persons Act 2015.

“Key is the issuance of  National Identity Cards to Residents and Alien Identity Cards to Aliens after a thorough Identification and Registration exercise. To date, issuance of National Identity Cards is going on at District Level across the country.”

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