The Ministry of Internal Affairs has advised Ugandans to continue using their National Identification cards, stating that they have extended the renewal time of expired National IDs for one more year to ease renewal.
Gen David Muhoozi, the State Minister of Internal Affairs, made this statement while presenting the ministry’s achievements on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Manifesto during the NRM Manifesto week, which took place on December 3, 2024, at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala.
Gen Muhoozi said that several citizens who got registered and got their National IDs in the period of 2015-2017 complained of expired National IDs and inability to access some services, noting that the ministry has issued a statement on the continued use of expired National IDs for one more year in order for citizens to get enough time to renew their IDs.
“Citizens should know that having an expired national ID does not mean expiry of citizenship. Secondly, the cabinet minister issued a statement for the extension of the renewal of national IDs for one more year. Citizens should also know that the National Identification Number (NIN) is permanent and can be used anywhere,” he said.
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Gen Kahinda Otafiire, the Cabinet Minister of Internal Affairs, weighed in on the integration of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of Uganda (DCIC) and the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) to decrease issues of refugees and discrimination of certain tribes, especially the Rwandese.
Gen Otafiire noted that the issue of discrimination against Rwandese and refugees is complex, but the ministry is solving it, stating that there is a plan to integrate DCIC and NIRA to solve the too much questioning as one acquires citizenship.
“We want NIRA to acquire all the information about someone before they are given National IDs. The information should be given to DCIC to avoid double questioning, which leads to suspicion of discrimination,” he stated.
With the new National IDs having new features like face recognition, in order for one to renew their ID, they can apply online on the NIRA website or visit a nearby NIRA registration center across the country.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs facilitates the legal and orderly movement of persons to and from Uganda, regulates the residence of immigrants in the country, verifies and processes Ugandan citizenship, and enforces national and regional immigration laws for the development and security of Uganda.
