President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has issued an Executive Order aimed at streamlining the process of issuing identification documents to Ugandan citizens. The order, made under Article 99 (1) and (4) of the 1995 Constitution, follows numerous complaints regarding the treatment of passport applicants by immigration authorities.
The President noted that while the legal framework for citizenship is clear, the administrative processes for proving citizenship have been problematic. The Executive Order seeks to address these administrative challenges and ensure that the rights of Ugandan citizens are upheld.
Key directives in the order include the Right to Identification where every Ugandan citizen has the right to a passport or other travel document and the right to enter, leave, and return to Uganda; the Application Process where upon receiving a passport application, officials must adhere to Section 40 of the Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, Cap. 313, requiring only a National Identification Number (NIN) and compliance with other legally published requirements and Presumption of Citizenship where immigration officials must presume citizenship by birth unless they have credible evidence to the contrary. The burden of proof lies with the immigration officer, not the applicant.
On Referral to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), the directive says that questions about the veracity of information provided by an applicant claiming citizenship by birth should be referred to NIRA.
“Acceptable Documents such as birth certificates, voter’s cards, driving permits, and baptism certificates are acceptable for NIRA registration. If these are unavailable, a relative may identify the applicant under oath through a statutory declaration,” states the directive.
On Equal Treatment, the directive states that requirements for identification documents must apply equally to all applicants, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, or community.
On the Role of Local Authorities, if an application is supported by a letter from local authorities and corroborated by notable elders, the applicant should be promptly issued a national identification card or passport.
“The Minister of Internal Affairs and the Attorney General are directed to address the anomaly regarding automatic citizenship for children of citizens by birth (registration) and naturalisation,” reads the directive on Citizenship for Children.
The President’s directive aims to streamline administrative processes, uphold the dignity of citizens, and ensure the efficient issuance of identification documents.
