Despite the resumption of operations and issuance of National IDs by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), civil registration, fresh registration, replacement of lost National IDs and headquarters at Kololo remain closed for the members of the public.
Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions by President Museveni, NIRA has gradually resumed operations and provision of services to the public in line with guidelines contained under circular number 7 of 2020 issued by the Ministry of Public Service and Ministry of Health guidelines.
NIRA resumed operations in a phased manner beginning Wednesday 8th July 2020 and the partial resumption of services commenced with National ID issuance at sub county level in three districts of Wakiso, Mukono and Jinja.
The above districts, NIRA said have the biggest number of unissued National IDs adding that the sub county issuance exercise would decongest the above areas ahead of resumption of operations.
According to the statement issued by NIRA spokesperson Gilbert Kadilo on Tuesday, services in districts that have reopened will begin with issuance of National IDs but other activities such as fresh registration, replacement of lost National IDs and the headquarters remain closed.
“Services in districts that have reopened will begin with National ID issuance on a routine basis starting with clients whose application had been submitted and were already under process. The NIRA headquarters at Kololo will however remain closed for an initial period of 2 weeks from the date of resumption of services,” said Kadilo.
He added, “only issuance of National IDs will be done at the reopened offices for a period of 2 weeks before other services resume as further measures are put in place to ensure services are offered in accordance with guidelines on COVID-19. The services that remain suspended include all civil registration services (birth and death registration and certification), adoption order registrations, change of particulars, confirmation of information, replacement of lost, defaced and damage National IDs and fresh registration of National IDs.”
To avoid overcrowding and observe social distancing, Kadilo said only clients whose applications had been reviewed and were under process before the lockdown will be issued with National IDs at various NIRA offices for an initial period of 2 weeks beginning Monday 13th July 2020.