National IDs Expiring in 2024 Extended for Another Year

In a move that will bring relief to millions of Ugandans, Internal Affairs State Minister Gen David Muhoozi has announced that national identity cards (IDs) expiring in 2024 will remain valid for an additional year. The announcement was made on Thursday, 15 August 2024, during a meeting with technocrats and members of the National Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs.

The extension is formalized in a Statutory Instrument published in the government gazette on Monday, 12 August 2024, giving citizens more time before their cards officially expire. According to Gen Muhoozi, this decision comes amid delays in the renewal process, primarily due to logistical challenges.

Delays in Mass Registration

The minister acknowledged that a nationwide registration and ID renewal exercise, initially set to begin in June 2024, was delayed. He attributed the postponement to procurement delays and the late setup of the Industrial Security Information System.

“This exercise [the renewal and mass registration] was supposed to commence on 01 June 2024, however, we experienced challenges of delays in procurement and establishment of the new Industrial Security Information System,” said Muhoozi.

He emphasized that several essential elements, including biometric registration kits, blank cards, and software modules, need to be in place before the exercise can begin. Despite these delays, the government remains committed to ensuring that all eligible voters have valid national IDs before the 2026 elections.

Concerns from Parliament

During the session, members of the committee raised concerns about the delays. Hon. Wilson Kajwengye, Chairperson of the Committee, questioned whether the use of Kololo Ceremonial Grounds for various national events was contributing to NIRA’s slowed operations. He asked for reassurance that the extended use of Kololo wouldn’t further affect the timelines for delivering IDs.

Hon. Rauben Arinaitwe voiced concerns about the recognition of expired IDs during cross-border movements. “Here in Uganda, we might know that the card is expired, but when I am in a sister country, they might think that I am trying to escape from my country,” Arinaitwe said.

There was also frustration from Hon. Brandon Kintu regarding the unavailability of NIRA staff at regional offices, adding to the growing concerns about the efficiency of the ID renewal process.