The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has announced an increase in the cost of replacing damaged national identity cards, raising the fee from Shs50,000 to Shs200,000. The same fee will apply for correcting errors on ID details if the mistake was made by the cardholder.
NIRA spokesperson Osborn Mushabe clarified that applicants seeking replacements or corrections will also need to provide a police letter in addition to paying the revised fees.
Meanwhile, the cabinet has approved a budget of Shs666.85 billion to facilitate the mass enrollment of 17.2 million citizens and the renewal of 15.8 million expired national ID cards. The IDs expired in August 2024, but NIRA has stated that expired cards will remain valid for one more year for specific purposes including accessing government services and conducting financial transactions.
The allocated funds will cover the acquisition of software, hardware, operating systems, and supporting technology. The budget will also be used for the procurement of blank ID cards, fuel and allowances for 13,000 registration assistants, and upgrades to administrative and operational infrastructure.
NIRA has outlined a detailed timeline to modernize its systems and distribute the necessary equipment. From October 20 to November 15, 2024, NIRA carried out the installation and configuration of new hardware at its data center. On November 24, 2024, 3,000 kits arrived, constituting 53.1% of the total 5,665 kits required. On November 25, 2024, upgrades to card printing and personalization equipment was completed, increasing production capacity to 46,000 cards per machine daily, while staff will be trained to operate the upgraded equipment.
From December 5 to 15, 2024, the first batch of kits will be distributed to 135 districts and 11 cities, alongside the training of registration assistants. On December 17, 2024, an additional 1,668 kits will arrive, enabling key modules such as new registrations, renewals, replacements, and corrections to go live. Between December 26, 2024, and January 5, 2025, the second batch of machines will be distributed. On January 12, 2025, the final batch of 997 kits will arrive.
From January 19 to 29, 2025, the final batch of kits will be distributed. On January 20, 2025, two additional card printing machines will be delivered and installed, each with a daily production capacity of 80,500 cards. This rollout is expected to significantly improve efficiency in the issuance and renewal of national identity cards across the country.
