Ugandans will not be charged the Shs50,000 fee to renew their National Identity Cards, except for those opting for express service.
Addressing Parliament, Gen. David Muhoozi, the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, explained that while delays persist due to the Ministry of Finance withholding the Shs300 billion needed for the process, preparations are underway.
This announcement follows delays in the process caused by the Ministry of Finance’s failure to release the Shs300 billion required to fund the operation.
However, Muhoozi confirmed that preparations are underway, with the Ministry starting the procurement of ICT equipment and training staff on a new National Security Information System.
The exercise, originally set to begin in June 2024, is a response to the expiration of about 15.8 million IDs between August 2024 and June 2025.
The government has extended the validity of these cards by one year to ensure no disruption to public services and to give NIRA time to prepare for the mass renewal.
The exercise will be critical, as the updated ID database will be used to support the national voters’ register for the 2026 elections.
For hard-to-reach areas, provisions have been made to include kits powered by solar panels and generators to address power challenges, with over 2,700 kits expected to be distributed nationwide.
