The National Identification and Registration Authority has assured Ugandans that their old National ID cards will remain in their possession even as the country transitions to the enhanced generation of high-tech identification cards.
Speaking during the rollout exercise, NIRA Registrar Claire Olama said the old cards will continue to serve as important personal documents and will not be taken away from their owners. She noted that staff will only apply a small administrative mark to show that the cards have expired while keeping all the information readable.
“Our long-awaited moment has arrived. What we registered for, what we hoped to receive, is now here. We are ready to give out the new, more advanced cards,”Olama said, calling on citizens to turn up with their old cards when collecting the upgraded version.
She explained that the old card remains necessary for confirming identity at the point of collection.
She said, “You present your old card, we verify that you are the rightful owner, and once we establish that your new card is ready, we capture your biometric details, either your fingerprints or your iris, before issuing the new National ID.”
Olama stressed that NIRA officers are required to return the old card to the owner after placing a single punch in a clear corner that contains no personal data.
She noted, “The old card stays with you. The mark is only to show that its number is no longer active. It should never interfere with your photo, your barcode, or any detail used for identification.”
She said the simple punch helps distinguish valid cards from invalidated ones without damaging the integrity of the document.
She said, “In the end, you leave with two cards: your new one, clean and untouched, and your old one with a small mark that confirms it has been replaced.”
Olama encouraged Ugandans to approach the collection centres with patience and orderliness. She added that NIRA teams will continue providing updates and responding to inquiries as the nationwide issuance continues.
NIRA is currently distributing the enhanced National ID cards at designated centres across the country, marking one of the largest identification upgrades undertaken in recent years.
