Four officials from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) were arrested on June 26 and detained at Bukuya Police Station in Kassanda District for allegedly extorting money from residents during the ongoing mass national ID registration exercise.
The arrests followed complaints from residents in Kyato-Mbirizi Sub-county and Nabondo, Bukuya Town Council, particularly in Kalata Ward, where officials were reportedly charging varying fees for services that are supposed to be free. The directive to arrest the suspects came after a closed-door security meeting led by Kassanda Deputy RDC Mr. Mike Ssegawa, along with the DISO, local MPs, and LC3 chairpersons.
Officials at the meeting condemned the alleged bribery, calling it a betrayal of public trust. Mr. Ssegawa ordered police to take statements from both the suspects and the victims and ensure a lawful investigation is carried out.
Michael Teriyeitu, the acting Wamala Regional Police spokesperson, confirmed the arrests and said the suspects would be prosecuted after investigations. He urged the public to report any instances of extortion by NIRA staff.
He also cited a related case in Mityana District, where two NIRA officials were caught registering residents illegally at night and collecting Shs10,000 per person.
While many locals in Kassanda welcomed the quick action, these incidents highlight a larger issue of corruption that threatens to undermine the integrity of the national registration exercise—an initiative vital to improving public service access. The abuse of such essential programs not only erodes public confidence but also puts vulnerable communities at greater risk.
