KAMPALA, Uganda — The National Identification and Registration Authority, or NIRA, has assured the public that old National ID cards will not be confiscated as Ugandans collect their new high-tech identity cards.
NIRA Registrar Claire Olama clarified the process Monday, saying that while the old documents are required for verification, they will remain the personal property of the citizens.
“Old National IDs remain your personal documents and will not be taken away,” Olama said. “They will only be marked administratively to indicate that they are expired, but the information on them will still be readable.”
Verification and Marking
Olama stressed that citizens must bring their old cards to collection centers to confirm their identity before receiving the new cards.
“When you come, you need your old card to identify you,” she explained. “We look at it, confirm that you are the rightful owner, and once we see that your new card is ready, you provide your biometric—your fingerprints or your iris—so that we complete the process and issue your new National ID.”
After the new card is issued, the old card is returned to the owner after a NIRA officer applies a single administrative punch mark. Olama specified that the mark must be placed strategically to avoid damaging crucial data.
“The NIRA officer must put an administrative mark in the form of a single punch on a blank corner that does not have data,” Olama noted. “Make sure the officer does not punch your barcode because we need your old card for posterity. It must remain readable.”
This policy ensures that citizens leave the center with both the new National ID and the old card, which is officially marked as expired but still functional for historical reference.
Olama urged citizens to maintain order and patience at the collection centers as the rollout of the new generation National IDs continues across the country.
