National ID renewal set to begin as NIRA receives registration equipment
Maj Gen Apollo Kasiita-Gowa (in blue coat), Ms Benny Namugwanya Bugembe, Vice chairperson of the NIRA board, and Ms Rosemary Kisembo, Executive Director of NIRA, receive the first consignment of kits for national identification registration exercise on December 28, 2024. PHOTO | EVE MUGANGA
What you need to know:
- The first batch of national IDs was issued in 2014 and 2015 with a 10-year lifespan, meaning they are set to expire by June 2025.
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) is preparing for a mass national identification card renewal and registration exercise, following the expiry of the current identity cards. NIRA has received its first batch of 1,000 kits for the upcoming exercise.
While receiving the consignment at Entebbe International Airport on Saturday, Maj Gen Apollo Kasiita Gowa, the Director of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control and a member of the NIRA board of directors, expressed optimism about the exercise. He represented the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and was accompanied by NIRA board chairperson, Ms Benny Namugwanya Bugembe, and NIRA Executive Director, Ms Rosemary Kisembo.
“We are excited to have received the first batch of 1,000 kits, out of a total of 5,665 kits expected. The remaining kits are scheduled to arrive between January 7 and 15, 2025,” Maj Gowa said.
He noted that the delay in receiving the kits was due to supply chain bottlenecks caused by the festive season. “The contract for the new National Security Information System (NSIS), which includes new data center equipment, kits, and related software, was signed on July 8, 2024. The arrival of this equipment marks a significant milestone for the upcoming registration process,” Maj Gowa explained.
He also praised the efforts of the government, the leadership at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Internal Security Organisation, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and the NIRA Board, Management, and Staff for their collective work in preparing for the Mass Enrollment and Renewal (MER) exercise.
Ms Kisembo, expressed her excitement, stating, “We have been praying for this day to come, and finally, God has answered our prayers. We want to assure Ugandans that NIRA is now ready to kick off the exercise.”
The first batch of national IDs was issued in 2014 and 2015 with a 10-year lifespan, meaning they are set to expire by June 2025.
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