Government seeks sh126b to renew 15.8 million national IDs next year

The Government of Uganda is seeking for shillings 126 billion for the renewal of 15.8 million national identity cards next year.


A total of 15.8 million national identity cards are set to expire next year, following their issuance close to 10 years ago.

The affected cards were printed and issued between 2014 and 2015, during the first phase of the mass enrollment of citizens.

“Shillings 126 billion is required for phase II mass enrollment of citizens and renewal of national identity cards due to expire in 2024,” Hajji Yunus Kakande, secretary, office of the President stated in the budget framework paper.



The item is contained under the Governance and Security Programmes (GSP) budget framework paper, tabled before Parliament recently, by general duties finance state minister Henry Musasizi.

In October 2023, National Information Registration Authority (NIRA) executive director, Rosemary Kisembo, told Parliament that the authority has failed to commence mass enrolment of 17.2 million Ugandans for national IDs, due to funding gaps.

While appearing before parliament’s defence and internal affairs committee, Kisembo revealed that the authority also has pending mass renewal of national identification cards of 15.8m people, due to expire in August 2024.

She added that with the absence of a budget approved in 2022 worth 666.8b, to install the national security information system (NSIS), the mass enrolment remains pending.

“The project was expected to start in June 2023 as a pilot and full roll-out in August 2023, with procurement and recruitment contracts for registration assistants. However, this has not been done due to absence of funds or a letter of commitment of funds,” Kisembo told the MPs.

In August 2023, the Electoral Commission (EC) released the electoral road map that requires NIRA to submit the register of citizens to enable the electoral body compile, maintain, revise and update the voters register by September 2024.

In response, Kisembo said that NIRA was only delayed but expressed optimism about the progress of the project.

“There are some aspects of the project like capacity building that have started. As soon as funding is provided, key aspects like procurement of hardware and integration will begin,” she noted.

NIRA is a government agency under the Ministry of Internal Affairs charged with the responsibility of registering and issuing identity cards to Ugandans.

According to the state minister of internal affairs Gen. David Muhoozi, the first batch of 15.8m identity cards that were printed and issued in the 2014/2015 will expire between August 2024 and June 2025 respectively, thus justifying need for renewal in accordance with Regulation 19(1) of the Registration of Persons Regulations.

In May 2022, Muhoozi told MPs that persons who are renewing or applying for the ID for the first time will have to do so through online services.

The applicant will then print a Quick Response (QR) encoded sheet of information of the application which will be presented to a Registration Assistant at a parish.

Muhoozi said whereas the exercise will be used as a potential avenue to generate revenue, the full cost of the acquisition of a new National ID will be borne by government except for citizens who seek an express service.

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa (Ruhinda North, NRM), however, warned the minister not to make the national ID card exercise a revenue generating avenue because they have become a necessary requirement for one to attain any social and economic service.

Apparently, among other costs government intends to charge each Ugandan wishing to renew their national ID is about sh50,000, a price that upset MPs.

“When we commercialize the issuance of IDs in Uganda, then we are making it optional, because they are people who cannot even afford Shs50, 000 for a month. Parliament should allocate money to NIRA for issuance of National IDs so that we do not continue crippling Ugandans,” Bulamogi County MP, Sanon Bwiire said.

Dr Abed Bwanika (Kimaanya-Kabonera Division, NUP) was not impressed by government’s decision to conduct Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profiling on each citizen who is applying for the National ID, saying it offends the citizens’ right to privacy.

“DNA profiling is done on criminals. So why do you want to keep DNA data of the entire population which is against our right to privacy. The Minister needs to clarify on this,” he said.

With the sh126b not provided in the sh53 trillion national budget for the 2024/25 financial year, it is hoped that Parliament will do reallocations to find the resources, or task the ministry of finance, planning and economic development to find the resources.