The Ugandan Cabinet has recently approved a substantial increase in the fee for changing particulars on National Identification Cards, raising the cost from 50,000 shillings (approximately $14 USD) to 300,000 shillings ($84 USD). This six-fold increase has stirred debate and raised concerns about accessibility to essential government services.
The Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, explained the rationale behind the fee hike. According to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), there has been a surge in requests for changes to ID particulars, many of which appear to be for fraudulent or abusive purposes.
Dr. Baryomunsi emphasized, “There has been a fee of 50,000 shillings for changing particulars on National IDs, but through NIRA, it has been realized that there are many Ugandans… who present reasons which border on abuse or even fraud.”
The increased fee is intended to discourage such practices and safeguard the integrity of the National ID system. However, concerns have been raised about the impact on ordinary citizens who genuinely require changes, such as adopting married names or rectifying errors.
In response to these concerns, the Minister assured that exceptions would be made for individuals adopting new marriage names or reverting to previous names after divorce. Nevertheless, the practical implementation of these exceptions remains unclear.
The implementation of this new fee structure is expected to spark further discussions in the coming months. Critics may argue that it poses a financial barrier for legitimate name changes, while supporters stress the necessity of combatting fraudulent activities. The full impact of this policy change on Ugandans seeking to update their National IDs will become clearer with time.
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