Kayunga District has surpassed its registration target during a special mass registration exercise conducted by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), despite facing logistical and operational challenges.
The registration drive, which ran from May 15 to June 30, targeted residents who had missed previous registration exercises, as well as school-going children who required registration into the national identification system.
Speaking after the exercise, Kayunga District Registration Officer, Muhammad Mpiima, said the district exceeded its projected registration figures, describing the campaign as a success.
He, however, noted that the exercise was hampered by a number of challenges, including parents providing inaccurate or inconsistent information about their children, particularly names and dates of birth.
According to Mpiima, such errors complicate the registration process and can result in delays and additional costs when corrections are required.
He also cited late turn-up by residents, with many arriving at registration centres in the evening when NIRA officials were preparing to close for the day. Poor road conditions, especially on muddy rural routes, also affected the movement of registration teams.
Despite these setbacks, Mpiima said the exercise achieved impressive results and significantly boosted registration coverage across the district.
He also reassured the public that the newly issued National Identity Cards are now fully functional after the installation of systems capable of reading their upgraded barcodes.
“The new IDs required a new system to read the barcodes, which is why they were initially not working. The system is now in place, and the cards are fully operational,” he said.
Mpiima explained that the new identity cards can now be used for all government services, including SIM card registration, banking transactions and other official processes.
He urged residents whose identity cards are ready to collect them from the NIRA office in Kayunga, revealing that about 95 per cent of renewed cards remain unclaimed.
He also appealed to heads of households to ensure that every eligible family member is registered and possesses a National Identity Card.
Mpiima warned that national identification will increasingly become a requirement for accessing essential services, including education.
“In the near future, children may not be allowed to enrol in school without a National Identification Number (NIN),” he said.
He stressed that maintaining an accurate and up-to-date national register is essential for effective planning and the delivery of public services, as well as proper documentation of vital events such as births, marriages and deaths.
NIRA has encouraged residents who are yet to register or collect their identity cards to visit the Kayunga District office as soon as possible to avoid inconveniences in accessing government and financial services.
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