The Ugandan Cabinet recently approved a significant increase in the fee, jumping from 50,000 shillings (roughly $14 USD) to a staggering 300,000 shillings ($84 USD). This six-fold increase has sparked debate and raised questions about accessibility.
While the price hike may seem drastic, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, explained the reasoning behind it. According to NIRA, the National Identification and Registration Authority, a concerning number of individuals have been requesting changes to their particulars for what appear to be fraudulent or abusive purposes.
Dr. Baryomunsi elaborated, stating, “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 aims to deter such practices and ensure the integrity of the National ID system. However, concerns remain about how this will affect ordinary citizens who may need legitimate changes, such as those adopting married names or correcting errors.
The Minister did offer some reassurance, stating that exceptions would be made for those adopting new marriage names or dropping them after divorce. However, it remains unclear how these exceptions will be handled in practice.
The coming months will likely see further discussion about the new fee. Critics may argue that it creates a financial barrier for legitimate name changes, while supporters will emphasize the need to combat fraudulent activity. Only time will tell how this policy change will impact Ugandans seeking to update their National IDs.
