The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has reiterated its appeal to parents and guardians to register children as early as possible, cautioning that postponing this responsibility denies young people the legal identity needed to secure their long-term social and economic wellbeing.

During a courtesy visit to the NIRA office in Mukono, Registrar Claire Olama stressed that early registration is “the first and most fundamental step in protecting a child’s future.” She noted that many families still fail to appreciate the significance of completing the process within the first six months of a child’s life.

Olama explained that a recognised legal identity opens the door to vital services such as education, healthcare, social protection programmes, bank services, passports, and eventually employment opportunities. Without registration, she warned, children remain invisible in national databases, increasing their susceptibility to exploitation, exclusion from government support, and difficulties later when they must prove citizenship.

She further disclosed that NIRA is reviewing its policies to strengthen accountability for parents who repeatedly fail to utilise mass registration drives and parish-level outreaches. The proposed measures, she added, would resemble laws that mandate school attendance.

Olama also highlighted the financial implications of delayed registration. The process is free within the first six months and includes both a birth certificate and a National Identification Number (NIN). Beyond that timeframe, parents are charged 10,000 Shillings for children under six and up to 50,000 Shillings for adults above 18, costs that place a heavier burden on low-income rural households.

Along with urging timely child registration, NIRA released updates on the ongoing distribution of national identity cards across the Greater Mukono area. According to Olama, 84,220 cards have been sent to Mukono District, 61,542 to Buikwe, 7,302 to Buvuma, and 43,996 to Kayunga, all of which are ready for pick-up.

She reported that Buikwe has so far issued 12,139 cards, while Mukono has distributed nearly 2,500. Numbers in Mukono are expected to climb rapidly as issuing points are decentralised to improve accessibility.

Mukono District Registrar Edwin Wesonga noted that more than 300,000 cards were renewed in the district, meaning instant issuance is not feasible. He urged residents to be patient and to act quickly upon receiving collection notifications, pointing out that unclaimed cards overwhelm storage space and slow down processing for newly printed ones.

Card issuance in Mukono is currently underway in Central Division, Goma Division, Kyampisi Subcounty, and Nama Subcounty, areas chosen based on earlier enrolment patterns.

Olama also responded to concerns about delays linked to misunderstandings over pick-up locations. Many people who enrolled at temporary mobile centres assume they can collect their cards from any NIRA office. To address this, she said, NIRA is upgrading its SMS notification system to give clearer instructions.

Earlier messages, she noted, used technical terminology that confused recipients. The updated system will instead rely on simple, direct language to help applicants easily identify the correct collection point.