The Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Hon Gen. David Muhoozi, has told the house the mass renewal and enrollment exercise for National Identity Cards (IDs) due to start in 2023 will cost over Ugx 430 billion.
Muhoozi, who was addressing Thursday’s plenary, said under Regulation 19(1) of the Registration of Persons Regulations, a National Identification Card is valid for 10 years from the date of issue and shall be renewable in accordance with set regulations.
While responding to the question raised by Hon. Betty Ethel Naluyima, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Wakiso District Woman MP, concerning the impending expiry of National IDs, Gen Muhoozi said the National Identification & Registration Authority (NIRA) will undertake a mass enrollment and renewal exercise of National IDs beginning January 2023.
The first batch of National IDs will expire between August 2024 and June 2025 and thus need for mass renewal.
Gen Muhoozi said the first batch of National identity Cards totalling to 15.8 million were printed and issued in 2014/2015 and will expire between August 2024 and June 2025 which justifies the requirement for
renewal.
“The security features on the polycarbonate material used to make identity cards deteriorate progressively and are severely compromised after 10 years.
He said the financial cost estimates of the mass renewal and enrollment exercise for national IDs will cost over shs430 billion.
Hon. Natukunda Medius, the Rukungiri Woman MP, asked the Minister to explain why students who registered for National IDs three years ago haven’t received their IDs.
“These students are being told to register again because the information is no longer available,” she revealed.
She asked the Minister to be clear on what these students who registered three years ago should do because there is confusion and many don’t have National IDs.
Hon. Jovanice Rwenduru, Kiruhura District Woman MP, is concerned that University students seeking for Government loan scheme Year in this Financial are being rejected because they don’t have National ID.
She reiterated Hon Natukunda’s concern that these students registered three years ago but have never received their IDs.