Kampala – The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) disclosed that it is currently holding over 4.5 million uncollected national identity cards, a figure that represents roughly 12 % of the country’s eligible population.
According to NIRA Director General Sarah Kintu, the backlog stems from a combination of logistical challenges, delayed distribution to remote districts, and a surge in applications following the recent voter registration drive. “We are working with the Ministry of Finance to allocate additional resources for transportation and staffing to clear the backlog within the next six months,” Kintu said.
Civil society groups have warned that the shortage could impede access to essential services such as banking, health care, and voting. NIRA has launched a mobile outreach program to deliver IDs directly to underserved communities and is urging citizens who have applied to check the status of their cards online.