By KT Reporter
As Uganda launches the mass enrolment and renewal of National Identity Cards (IDs) starting today, Soroti Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Paul Eseru has issued a stern warning to Local Council One (LC-I) Chairpersons against soliciting bribes from non-citizens seeking registration.
Eseru made the remarks during a stakeholders’ meeting for the district coordination committee overseeing the critical exercise. He emphasized that the registration is strictly for Ugandan citizens and cautioned that any attempt to register foreigners would be treated as a criminal act.
“LC-I Chairpersons, registration officers, and GISOs must resist temptations to accept bribes for facilitating the registration of non-citizens,” Eseru said, warning that such misconduct would result in arrest and prosecution under Ugandan law.
By June this year, over 15.8 million National IDs issued between 2014 and 2015 are expected to expire, leaving millions of Ugandans in need of renewal to maintain access to government services and to validate their citizenship.
Eseru urged citizens to actively participate in the registration program, noting that having a valid National ID is essential for benefiting from government initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and access to technical courses through the Presidential Skilling Hub.
In Soroti District, the exercise will begin in three parishes: Asuret, Gweri, and Ogwolo in Dakabela County. Captain Joseph Kitumba, the District Registration Officer for Soroti, said that the citizen verification process is already ongoing. He warned that any non-citizen found in possession of a National ID will have it confiscated.
He encouraged Ugandans to present the necessary documents—including old IDs or police letters for lost IDs—when visiting designated registration centres. Kitumba noted that over 10,000 uncollected National IDs are currently being held at the district office and urged rightful owners to claim them to enable seamless enrolment at no additional cost.
While he clarified that renewals can be done from any location, Kitumba said that requests involving changes to personal details—particularly place of residence—will be addressed at a later stage.
Rosemary Kisembo, Executive Director of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), stated that the mass registration will cover both the 15.8 million expiring IDs and an additional 17.2 million new IDs for citizens who missed the first round of registration for various reasons.
She added that each parish will be equipped with at least 10 registration kits on enrolment days, although the actual number may vary depending on local circumstances. The government has budgeted approximately UGX 666.85 billion for the entire exercise.
Of this, UGX 183 billion is allocated for producing new ID cards, UGX 293 billion for technology and data infrastructure, and UGX 190.85 billion to pay the 13,864 workers involved in the rollout-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
