Museveni to get first national ID, Ministry wants Shs110b more for project

The Ministry of Internal Affairs will issue the first national identity card to President Yoweri Museveni at his swearing in ceremony due next month. While appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs on Wednesday, Mr Godfrey Ssesaga, the Director of Citizenship and Immigratiion, said: “The first identity cards will be those of the President, the First Lady, the Vice President, the chief Justice, deputy chief Justice, the Prime Minister and all his deputies.”

The controversial national ID project is part of the National Security Information system. In 2006, the Inspector General of Government stopped the procurement process of the printing firm citing irregularities.

The officials told the Committee that after next month’s issuance, the project shall then continue in 2 phases.  The first will be by October where all the virgin voters; the 5 million who were registered last by the Electoral Commission will get IDs.  The second phase for the rest of Ugandans in general will be rolled out later when needed resources are availed.

However, the ministry needs Shs110b more and without which it will not be able to go on with the project.

The money is to be used in remodeling and refurbishment of the national security information systems centre to suit the needs of the printing press and to pay the over 1,100 staff up to sub county level.

“We need only Shs555million to have all the 5million voters given IDs and we also need Shs110billion for the whole rolled out process- which money we don’t have now,” said the Director of Citizenship and Immigration .

The State Minister for Internal Affairs, Mr Matia Kasaija, said; “We need to put pressure on the ministry of finance to see that we get the necessary funds to have the project out of the way. If the resource envelope is sealed we can cut from other sectors to see that the project is put out of the way.”

Asked why government has not been taking the project with the importance it deserves, the minister replied; “Our priority in the cabinet is different. This issue is not being given top priority.”