Uganda’s NIRA Aims for Voters with Nationwide Digital ID Enrolment

Uganda’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has initiated a nationwide digital identity enrolment drive, aiming to register at least 17.2 million citizens aged 17 and above. The effort is in preparation for the 2026 general elections, with the goal of ensuring that the list of eligible voters is updated and available by November 30, 2024.

The registration drive began on September 27 and will conclude on November 23, 2024. It encourages younger citizens to enroll, though the emphasis is on those eligible to vote.

NIRA’s Executive Director, Rosemary Kisembo, emphasized the importance of this exercise to issue National IDs before the electoral deadline. NIRA is collaborating with multiple government agencies, including the Electoral Commission and the Ministry of Education, to ensure a smooth registration process.

The registration will take place daily, including weekends, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and while new enrollments are free, changes to personal details will incur a fee. The initiative is part of a broader plan to renew 15.8 million existing IDs in the 2024/25 fiscal year, with the Ugandan government allocating 666.85 billion Shillings for this effort.

NIRA announced that it was preparing for a significant national ID enrolment and renewal exercise back in August of this year, in an effort that would involve the use of 5,680 biometric kits, equipped with advanced iris scanners.

To support the process, 13,000 personnel will be deployed across 10,717 parishes, and the government has extended the validity of expiring IDs by one year to prevent service disruptions. NIRA has also coordinated with 90 institutions, including banks and telecoms, to ensure continued access to ID data in real-time.

While the biometrics vendor for the project is yet to be confirmed, previous contenders include Veridos and Muehlbauer High Tech International, both of whom have been involved in Uganda’s national ID card system.

Source: Kampala Dispatch

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October 16, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis