The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has announced a temporary suspension of National ID distribution at the sub-county level starting Tuesday, January 13, 2026, with all registration equipment withdrawn and returned to NIRA offices.
Additionally, NIRA’s head office in Kololo will remain closed on January 14, 15, and 16, coinciding with Uganda’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Clare Ollama, a NIRA registrar, said the measures are intended to allow Ugandans to fully exercise their civic rights during the elections. “These measures are to ensure that citizens can fully exercise their civic rights and participate in the forthcoming general election,” Ollama said.
The temporary shift in operations is also due to a high-level state function to be held at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, prompting a scale-down of in-person services at the head office. Citizens seeking services typically offered at Kololo are being directed to NIRA’s five divisional offices across Kampala.
While physical services are limited, NIRA continues to encourage the use of its online platforms at www.nira.go.ug, which offer services such as: Tracking National ID status, Applying for and verifying Information Letters and National Identification Numbers (NIN), Filing marriage returns and applying for civil marriages and Requesting marital status letters.
“Uganda is choosing a different path. Through intentional action by NIRA, birth registration is being pushed deliberately to the grassroots, closer and closer to the point of birth,” Ollama said in a social media statement.
Normal operations at all NIRA centres nationwide are expected to resume on Monday, January 19, 2026, after the electoral period.
The announcement comes as the country prepares for the January 15 elections, amid heightened security in Kampala, including military patrols and the presence of international observers from the African Union, COMESA, and IGAD. Citizens have been urged to remain calm and avoid large gatherings to ensure peaceful polling.
“Happy to be supporting to make this possible for all children and persons born here,” Ollama added, highlighting NIRA’s ongoing commitment to accessible public services even during the election period.
