Legislators have urged the Ministry of Internal Affairs to introduce electronic identification cards (e-IDs) without expiry dates stating that it will reduce costs and eliminate the inconveniences associated with mass physical card renewals.

The Members of Parliament made the call during a plenary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on Tuesday, 21 January 2025 after the State Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi presented a statement addressing the challenges posed by expired national identification cards.

According to Muhoozi, the ministry had extended the validity of expired national IDs to address immediate challenges, particularly for citizens using them as travel documents within the East African Community (EAC).

“In recognition of the need for immediate intervention, the ministry issued The Registration of Persons (Amendment) Regulations, No. 67 of 2024, which extended the validity period of all National Identification Cards by one additional year,” he explained.

The extension ensures that IDs initially issued with 10-year validity are now valid for 11 years. The ministry has also engaged the ministries of East African Affairs and Foreign Affairs to inform EAC member states of this provisional measure.

He added that a mass enrollment and renewal exercise, initially scheduled for 2024, would begin soon. This will renew expired IDs and register new eligible citizens.

Muhoozi emphasized that the expiry dates on IDs serve practical and legal purposes, including updating security features, ensuring data accuracy, and complying with international standards.

“NIRA is also working on upgrading the National Security Information System (NSIS) to enhance the security features of IDs,” he added.

However, several MPs expressed dissatisfaction with the current system with Hon. Basil Bataringaya (Kashari North County) criticising the inclusion of expiry dates on IDs and called for the introduction of non-expiring e-IDs. He also raised concerns about challenges in obtaining birth certificates in rural areas.

Hon. Agnes Kirabo (National Youth Representative) called for decentralization of ID renewals and birth certificate issuance to parish levels for easier access.

Bugiri Municipality MP, Hon. Asuman Basalirwa tasked the minster to invoke Section 69(4) of the Registration of Persons Act, which allows him to prescribe the validity period of IDs, to ensure longer durations or non-expiry.

“Instead of setting a deadline of 10 years, you should use the powers that you have to set longer deadlines”, he said.

Gen. Muhoozi assured Parliament that the upcoming mass enrollment and renewal exercise would be the last of its kind before transitioning to e-IDs without expiry. He stated that this move would save costs and reduce the ongoing inconveniences.

In September 2024, the ministry announced a nationwide ID mass enrollment and renewal exercise to provide NINs to approximately 17.2 million unregistered Ugandans, including newborns and adults.

Pre-registration was expected to begin in October 2024, but the full exercise was postponed to January 2025.