NIRA to register 17 million new voters

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Identification and Registration Authority-NIRA, has kicked off nationwide registration of all Ugandans of 17 years and above to get ready for the 2026 general elections.

Speaking to journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Tuesday, Rosemary Kisembo, the Executive Director of NIRA said the current exercise will target at least 17.2 million Ugandans. “NIRA embarked on a 53-day exercise that commenced on September 27th and will end on November 23rd. This was to fulfil the Electoral Commission Road map requirements to submit the list of eligible voters from the National Identification Register by November 30th 2024. The goal of the exercise is to ensure that all eligible voters, which includes persons 17 years and above, are registered and issued with National ID’s before November 30th 2024. This exercise does not exclude Ugandan citizens below the age of 17 from registering but simply places an emphasis or focus on eligible voters,” Kisembo said.

She added that they are working with the Electoral Commission, the Ministry for Presidency through Resident District Commissioners, the Ministry of Education, the district and Gombolola internal security officers and the Ministry of Local Government to facilitate the participation of eligible citizens.

According to Kisembo, NIRA district teams will publish and share schedules with the district and sub-county leadership and mobile registration teams on the places they will be registering people. Kisembo said the exercise is conducted every day within this period, including weekends, starting at 8:00 am and ending at 5:00 pm.

She also noted that registration is free of charge for new registrations although those seeking change of particulars and other services that attract fees will pay for them.“Applicants of 18 years and above, will be required to present an introduction letter signed by the LC 1 Chairperson, and stamped by the Internal Security Officers; the introduction letter must indicate the applicant’s name, date of birth, tribe, clan, and nationality; the letter should further indicate parents’ names, tribes, clans, nationality, and living status; alive or deceased or unknown,” Kisembo said.

According to Kisembo, during this countrywide exercise, all citizens who were registered from their schools and communities but have since attained the age of 16 years and above, will be able to present their National Identification Number (NIN), or Application ID or a copy of their registration form or their names and date of birth, for data update to facilitate the processing of their National ID cards. “The Ministry of Internal Affairs and NIRA will continue to strive to deliver the defined goals of the mass enrolment and renewal exercise to enrol 17.2 million unregistered Ugandans; and renew the national identity cards of 15.8 million Ugandans within the 2024/25 financial year. We call upon all Ugandans to take this opportunity to register and be identified as a citizen,” Kisembo said.

The minister of internal affairs recently extended the expiry date of more than three million IDs that were set to expire in one year. The cabinet has already approved the mass enrolment and renewal exercise of all national IDs for 666.85 billion Shillings.

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