URN
With only eight days left to the presidential and parliamentary elections, a number of Ugandan are in a rush to acquire their new or renewed National Identification Cards. Some are arrived at distribution centres as early as 6am.
Suleiman Makolo, who was found in a queue stretching more than 500 metres at Lukuli, Makindye said he had arrived at 6:27am but was yet to get his National ID by 9:10am. Makolo said he received a message that his ID was ready at Makindye Division but upon reaching, he was directed to Lukuli.
“I woke at 5am and by 6:19am I was at Makindye Division,” Makolo said. “I inquired where the National IDs were being distributed from and I was told to go to Lukuli near National Water substation. I arrived here and found when people were already in the queue and yet NIRA staff were yet to arrive.”
Makolo said he wants to have his National ID as he goes to cast his vote for presidential and parliamentary elections on Thursday next week. He said he is a voter of Lukuli-Nanganda in Makindye Division, but expressed fears that he might not be allowed to cast his vote if he doesn’t get his National ID.
“The problem is that I lost the original expired National ID,” Makolo explained. “So, I paid for the renewal and it has been processed in this election period. If I had my original copy even when it was expired, I would pretend that my renewal hasn’t been processed.”
Sarah Nandidi said she also received the message that her National ID was at Makindye Division and later at Lukuli and she was then directed to Kasanvu Community Hall, Namuwongo. Nandidi rushed to Kasanvu Community Hall and she too found a long queue by 8:37am.
“I have been here from 8am and it is 10:10am but there is no one to attend to us,” she said. “I don’t know the time I will leave this place because people are very many. I want to leave with my National ID today so that I can be sure that there will be no excuse to stop me from voting.”
Unlike Lukuli where people were queuing under scorching sunshine, at Kansanvu Community Hall, people had sought rest on verandas of nearby kiosks, garages, shops, pharmacies and others on the Hall’s shade. However, each person knew who he or she follows in the queue and the new ones were immediately being shown the last person they should stand behind.
Justice Simon Byabakama launched Voter Location Slips (VLS) on December 20, 2025 but voters seem to be stuck on having their National IDs in order to participate in the polls. The picking of VLS ends on Tuesday next week (January 13, 2026) and they are intended to help voters easily identify and locate their respective polling stations on polling day.
“Each VLS contains a voter’s particulars, including the photograph, names, date of birth, and polling location details, namely the district, constituency, sub-county, parish, and polling station. The VLS also bears a unique barcode, which will be read by the Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVK) deployed at all polling stations,” Byabakama explained.
VLS will be used by voters during the following elections under the General Elections: Presidential and Parliamentary; District/City Chairpersons and Councillors; Municipality/City Division Chairpersons and Councillors; and, Sub-county/Town/Municipal Division Chairpersons and Councillors.
Byabakama reminded voters that VLS is issued free of charge and should be collected in person by the voter from the Parish/Ward Supervisor, who is an employee of the Electoral Commission. EC also clarified that even those without VLS will still be allowed to vote provided they are in register.
“Please note that the National Voters’ Register remains the primary document for voting; accordingly, a voter whose name appears on the Register but is unable to present a Voter Location Slip on polling day will still be allowed to vote,” Byabakama explained.