How Citizens’ Engagement Led to Surge ID Registration in Moroto
“I was on the verge of giving up,” Apuun Mary recalls, her voice filled with emotion. “But then, the team from Riamiriam came to our village, and everything changed.” She smiles, reflecting on the day that marked a turning point in her life.
Mary’s struggle to register for the Parish Development Model (PDM), a government fund which is given to the poverty-stricken unbanked 39 per cent Ugandans to enable them to get out of poverty had seemed insurmountable. Without a registered SIM card in her name, she was ineligible for the government program. But she lacked information on where and how to register for a national ID card.
Riamiriam Civil Society Network-Karamoja team’s civic education session, featuring an official from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) Mr. Hillary Emeu, provided the crucial guidance she needed.
” To be able to vote you need to be registered in the national identification register because Electoral Commission uses it to generate the voters register. And you can only register to get the ID from our Office. So, please if you don’t have a national ID or the particulars of your ID are not correct, or if you have lost you ID, come to our office to register or take advantage of our periodical outreach programs ” Mr. Emeu emphasized during the community engagement in Katikekile subcounty which had attracted hundreds of community members.
These citizen`s community engagements were conducted by Riamiriam Civil Society Network-Karamoja in partnership with Uganda NGO Forum and Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“We’ve seen a significant increase in ID registrations since Riamiriam’s interventions,” noted Mr. Emeu. “Riamiriam`s community-driven approach has helped bridge the information gap, empowering citizens like Apuun Mary to access vital services, as you know, NIRA does not have the capacity to conduct such activities and yet they are vital.”
Seven months later, Mary received her ID card and successfully registered for PDM. With the Uganda Shs 1M (equivalent to 272 USD) PDM funds, she started a small business selling essential items at a nearby market. “Now, I can support my family,” she beams. “I can buy soap, books, and pens for my children.”
Riamiriam Civil Society Network-Karamoja’s community-driven approach has yielded remarkable results. Initially, over 2,900 IDs remained uncollected from NIRA Office, and community engagement with the NIRA office was limited. However, through sensitization meetings, radio broadcasts, and community engagements, the project achieved success.
FACT FILE
- 900+ IDs issued according to NIRA`s 2024 midterm assessment
- Increased community understanding and engagement
- Surge in ID renewal demands for PDM benefits
- 500+ IDs with errors corrected by NIRA
- NIRA addressed many errors (typing errors) in ID registration process of 2014
As the project concludes, there is a clear need for its extension. Riamiriam’s community-driven approach has demonstrated the power of grassroots mobilization.
Key statistics highlighting the project’s impact:
- 5,000+ community members sensitized
- 300% increase in ID registration applications
- 90% of applicants successfully registered
This collaborative effort was made possible by:
- USAID
- NGO Forum
- FOWODE
- Riamiriam Civil Society Network-Karamoja
- Moroto District Local Government
- National Identification and Registration Authority
- Electoral Commission
