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The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has publicly addressed the recent allegations of staff misconduct in sharing personal data, as highlighted by a viral BBC Africa investigation.
In a statement, NIRA confirmed that an investigation has been initiated in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs Office and the Uganda Police Force.
This follows claims that individuals linked to a brutal sex trafficking ring had illicit access to NIRA's database, allegedly to process travel documents for their victims.
A Controversial Documentary Shines a Harsh Light
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The BBC documentary exposed a dark sex trafficking network operating in the luxurious neighbourhoods of Dubai.
The report identified Charles Mwesigwa, a former London bus driver, as the alleged ringleader.
Mwesigwa brazenly confessed to the undercover reporter that he supplies women for sex parties, with prices starting at $1,000.
The investigation also brought to light the horrific and degrading acts to which the women were subjected.
The report linked Mwesigwa to the deaths of two Ugandan women, Monic Karungi and Kayla Murungi, who died in controversial circumstances after falling from high-rise apartments, with their deaths ruled as suicides.
Mr Mwesigwa showed us his UK driving licence and said he was a former London bus driver / BBC
Allegations of Illicit Database Access
A key and damning allegation from the BBC investigation was that Mwesigwa and his associates had access to the NIRA database and register.
An interviewee in the documentary claimed that Mwesigwa processed National IDs and passports for the girls picked by his 'boys' in Uganda, which enabled him to traffic them to Dubai.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has since demanded a detailed statement on the floor of Parliament, specifically requesting information on whether the two deceased women, Monic and Kayla, were employed through government-licensed labour externalisation companies.
NIRA's Reassurance and Internal Controls
In its public statement, NIRA sought to reassure the Ugandan public that their personal and biometric data remains "confidential, safe and intact."
The authority cited its robust legal and technical safeguards, including encryption of data, role-based access controls, and secure data centres.
NIRA also pointed to its institutional safeguards, such as a dedicated Data Protection Officer, mandatory training for staff, and a policy of "zero tolerance for misconduct."
The authority stated that once the ongoing investigation is concluded, any person found involved will face "disciplinary action and criminal prosecution as provided by the law," and the public will be informed accordingly.