It will cost you 200,000shs to replace National ID

By John Kusolo

Those intending to replace or change particulars on their National Identity Cards will soon have to part with a minimum of UGX 200,000. This is according to the new fee structure unveiled today by the Minister for Internal Affairs Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire. However, the proposed fee structure has raised concerns among several members of Parliament on the Committee of Defence and Internal Affairs.

National Identification Registration Authority has proposed an increase in fees for people who have lost national identity cards or want to change particulars on their IDs to 200,000 shillings.

The proposal has been made by the Minister of Internal Affairs Kahinda Otafire while appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs on the planned mass enrollment of unregistered citizens and renewal of National Identity cards exercise.

Otafire informed MPs that government plans to use 600 billion shillings for the exercise that will start in June next year and last for 15 months. Otafire says that out of 600 billion, they plan to source 160.4 billion shillings from increasing fees on replacements of IDS from 50,000 shillings to 200,000 shillings.

Otafire also says that money will be collected from introducing express national identification cards for renewal and people who are getting them for the first time.

Otafire also says that they want to upgrade the new identity cards to a smart card e-ID and creation of the personal digital identity and will capture DNAs, fingerprint, facial recognition and Iris.

When asked whether government has plans to capture the DNA of every Ugandan, Otafire noted that the question was immaterial. The chairperson of the committee, Rosemary Nyakikongoro, the Woman MP for Sheema District says that the increment in 200,000 shillings is too much. Mugabe Donozio (Ruhinda South MP) noted that the window for express identity cards might be misused when the authority decides to concentrate on people with money and leave those without funds.

Mukono North MP Abdullah Kiwanuka called for NIRA to come up with national IDs that do not expire

William Museveni (Buwekula South MP) asked NIRA to put limitations on the window for people to change particulars on their national ids. Donozio expressed concerns on the issue of non-Ugandans who are given national IDs and passports.