He disclosed that applicants with access to the online services can visit NIRA’s website at www.nira.go.ug for pre-registration particulars, and then go to NIRA offices or other registration centres for thumb print taking, eye-rish and photograph taking.
Pursuant to Cap 332 of the Registration of Persons Act, the National Identification Registration Authority (NIRA), renewal of national identity cards in Mukono Municipality and in the sub-counties of Nama, Kyampisi and Nakisunga has been launched, with the registration of Mukono Resident District Commissioner Hajat Fatuma Ndisaba Nabitaka in her office.
According to Mukono NIRA Registration Officer Edwin Wesonga, the six-month national exercise will see phasing out of the old identity cards and replacement with new ones that do not expire, free of charge, and issuance of cards to fresh applicants who have clocked 18 years and those that lost theirs. He said this exercise officially starts on Tuesday May 27, 2025.
Wesonga advised those who lost their cards to report to police to avoid having them used for criminal purposes by law breakers, and then apply for new ones also free of charge. To people ignoring acquisition of national identity cards, Wesonga reminded them that even babies are registered at birth because, he added, they will not be able to get birth certificates without national identification numbers (NIN).
“This is the reason we are setting up registration centres in health facilities, in addition to many other centres scattered around Mukono and its suburbs, and to be rolled out in all sub-counties in two weeks,” he noted.
He disclosed that applicants with access to the online services can visit NIRA’s website at www.nira.go.ug for pre-registration particulars, and then go to NIRA offices or other registration centres for thumb print taking, eye-rish and photograph taking.
He said a total of 89 computers and accessories are to be used beginning in the initially densely populated sub-counties located between 5 and 10 kilometres and then extending to other parts of the district. The local governments to receive the first handling include; Mukono Municipality, Nama, Kyampisi and Nakisunga sub-counties.
Mukono Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Hajat Fatuma Ndisaba appealed to Mukono residents to be exemplary by honouring the priority status accorded to the district by spearheading the process, and urged them to immediately report to designated centres for the registration exercise.
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Ndisaba watered down claims that this and other government programmes have an ulterior motive of winning support over to their side in regard to the ongoing or forthcoming elections, clarifying that people without national identification numbers (NIN) will in future be unable to access bank loans, passports, school vacancies for their children, and other social requirements.
She advised people who offered as security their national identity cards to money lenders to immediately ask for them, or report to police uncompliant money lenders because she added, the cards are property of the government which should not be used for personal matters.
To cater for residents claiming they were never informed about the registration requirement, the RDC asked them to take heart, saying they are going to use all media outlets to popularize the exercise.
Ndisaba appealed to LC authorities to help new migrants access documents by recommending them to her office through the DISO and GISOs, adding that every Ugandan is entitled to a national identity card.
On the issue of refugees, she clarified that those who have become citizens legally are entitled to acquisition of national identity cards as well as other facilities enjoyed by other Ugandans, and advised youths to use the NIRA app for online registration.