Parliament asked to amend NIRA Act

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament has been asked to review the National Identification and Registration Authority-NIRA Act.

This request is part of the recommendations contained in the research findings conducted by Unwanted Witness, a human rights organization, in a report titled ‘Uganda’s Digital ID system. A cocktail of discrimination.’

Speaking at the launch of the report at Serena Hotel Kampala, Lawrence Muyomba, and the lead researcher said among the respondents that they interviewed, 72 % revealed that they were required to present a National ID before receiving a private service from institutions like banks and telecommunication companies. He said that these companies refused any other form of identification even those issued by the government such as passports and driving permits.

The situation was even worse in public institutions where up to 85 percent of the respondents were denied access to health services, agricultural inputs, mosquito nets among others.

“These are fundamental rights that must not be predicated on an ID yet NIRA is yet to get the full capacity to do their job. Out of the total population sampled only 12 % of respondents had obtained their national IDs at the time of the study. A proportion of 88% had submitted their registration forms but had not received their national IDs having waited for a period of over six months,” Muyomba said.

Gilbert Kadilo, NIRA spokesperson admitted that indeed they are not operating at full capacity.

He revealed that although they can produce up to 24,000 IDs a day, currently they are only able to produce 10,000 IDs. He however said, they can’t do anything to reach all the villages in Uganda because of the legal constraints.

Muwanga Kivumbi, the MP for Butambala County, said NIRA must improve on its efficiency especially now that the country is headed to a general election that many political observers say might be one of stiffest in President Museveni’s 30’s electoral struggles.

Muwanga said NIRA must provide all those who registered to vote their national IDs that are also used by the Electoral Commission as Voter IDs.

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