Residents says despite going to the Divisions several times, some of the have failed to get their national IDs. They worry that the conduct of officials and the long queues may discourage other people from picking theirs.
The issuance of national Identity Cards in Nyamitanga, Kakoba and Kamukuzi divisions of Mbarara municipality has been marred by violence after most residents were turned away.
At Kakoba division headquarters, over 200 residents from Nyamityobora, Kihindi, Lugazi, Rwentondo, Kisenyi, Kiswahili and Kakoba Central wards who converged as early as 7am Wednesday morning later turned violent after officials handling the exercise locked the door blocking them from entering in the hall.
The residents started banging the door and windows and shouting as they demanded for an explanation from officials for locking them out.
It took the intervention of the law enforcement officers from Kakoba division to calm the charged residents.
Abdul Musoke, a civil servant who secured half day off from duty to pick his ID at Kakoba division offices says despite presenting his registration form, which was crosschecked against the database, officials could not avail his ID card.
Musoke is bitter with the EC officials in the district who resorted to supplying cards at division level instead of doing it in villages.
//Cue in: “and the problem…….. Cue out:…..Kakoba division offices.â€// Residents in the affected divisions express fear that many working people will end up abandoning picking their cards, because of being turned away many times and the long queues at the distribution points. some of them have seen their IDs but they cannot take them because some bio-data is missing.
Dan Kamusiime Ruhemba, the Mbarara District EC registrar says he was not aware of these challenges promising to sort them out as soon as possible.
Mariam Kabasongora
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