OPINION | Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) increasing the fees for changing details on our national ID cards. On May 15th, 2024, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi announced that the Cabinet has decided to raise this fee to 300,000 shillings. This means that if you want to change your name or update other personal information on your ID, you’ll need to pay a lot more than before.

Why the sudden jump in fees? According to the government, people were taking advantage of the previously low fees to make frequent changes to their IDs, and not always for good reasons. For instance, some individuals might change their particulars to impersonate someone else, which can lead to illegal activities. By increasing the cost, the government hopes to discourage such misuse.

However, this new fee isn’t a blanket rule for all changes. There are exceptions for certain life events. If you’re changing your name due to a divorce or if you’re adding a spouse’s name after marriage, you won’t have to pay this hefty fee. These changes will remain free of charge, recognizing the personal and often necessary reasons behind them.

But what if you lose your ID? Don’t worry, the process for replacing a lost ID hasn’t changed. You still need to report the loss to the police, get a police letter, pay 50,000 shillings to the bank, and take the necessary documents to NIRA for a replacement. The increased fee only applies to those who want to change their existing ID details.

For those renewing or registering for a new ID, the process is still free. The extra cost only kicks in when you want to alter your ID information.

The procedures at NIRA remain the same; the only difference is the increased payment for changing ID particulars. Instead of the previous fee of 50,000 or 40,000 shillings, you’ll now need to pay 300,000 shillings if you want to change details like your name.

While the new fee might seem high, it aims to ensure that people have legitimate reasons for changing their ID details. The exceptions for certain life events show that the government recognizes the importance of supporting individuals through significant personal changes. So, next time you hear about the increased fees, remember that the core process hasn’t changed—just the cost for specific updates.