Kampala – The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has urged Ugandans to safe guard their national IDs to avoid cases of identity theft.
This follows media reports of an individual who masqueraded as a medical doctor using someone else’s identity. Ken Nyombi, also known as Innocent Ssemanda, Samuel Alfred Teriyeitu, or Fred Ssendi, was recently arrested for posing as a medical doctor after an investigative report by NBS television. Nyombi is among other things accused of forging a national ID in the name of Ssemanda Innocent in 2015, falsely claiming it was issued by the NIRA.
Addressing journalists in Kampala on Monday, Osborn Mushabe, NIRA spokesperson,
emphasized the importance of keeping national IDs secure, avoiding unnecessary sharing of ID card details, and being cautious with national ID copies.
“Only provide copies of your national ID to trusted entities and ensure they are handled responsibly. Monitor suspicious activities, keep a close eye on any suspicious activity associated with your personal information, and report such cases immediately,” Mushabe emphasized.
In the event of a lost or stolen national ID, citizens should report to the nearest police station and then visit any NIRA office to have their ID replaced.
“To replace a lost national ID, report to police, get a police letter, and pay 50,000 shillings at the bank. We’ll then replace your ID, and you’ll be good to go,” noted Mushabe.
NIRA reminded the public that identity theft is punishable under the Registration of Persons Act, with fines of up to 960,000 shillings or imprisonment of up to three years or both.
Additionally, Section 78(2a) of the Registration of Persons Act (Cap 332) states that anyone who creates, produces, manufactures, prints, binds, designs, or distributes documents falsely claiming to be from NIRA commits an offense. Upon conviction, they face a fine of up to 3.2 million shillings or imprisonment of up to 7 years, or both.
“At NIRA, we are committed to protecting the integrity and confidentiality of your data. We are currently upgrading our systems to further minimize the risk of identity theft,” said NIRA spokesperson.
Mushabe further emphasized that for individuals seeking to alter or change their names on their IDs, NIRA follows strict procedures to ensure accuracy. “We’ve encountered cases where individuals attempt to completely change their names. To prevent misuse, we conduct thorough investigations and due diligence to ensure changes are made only for legitimate cases,” he explained.”