Islanders worried as moneylenders confiscate national IDs

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A number of islanders at landing sites in Kalangala district risk missing out on the ongoing nationwide campaign to update national IDs because their cards have been confiscated by moneylenders.

This concern was raised by residents of Kacanga and Misonzi landing sites in Bufumira subcounty during a meeting with the Kalangala resident district commissioner (RDC).

During a tour to identify challenges affecting communities across the district, residents told the RDC that moneylenders require borrowers to surrender their National IDs as collateral for loans, sometimes as little as sh50,000.

“Many people who have failed to repay the loans have ended up surrendering their IDs, and they may not be able to update them during this national exercise,” said Godfrey Namwoyo, secretary of Kacanga landing site.

Moses Kazibwe, the chairperson of Kacanga landing site, explained that although they provide letters confirming the borrowers’ residency, moneylenders still demand additional documents, including national IDs, as security.

“The landing site hosts approximately 2,000 people, but nearly 400 residents have surrendered their IDs for loans,” Kazibwe said.

Rajab Ssemakula, the Kalangala district chairperson, appealed to the government to intervene by issuing directives to moneylenders to release the confiscated IDs so that islanders do not miss this vital opportunity.

“If not handled, this issue will sabotage the ongoing exercise in various parts of the country. Our people are poor, fish catches have declined, and the only way to survive is by taking loans, whatever the cost,” said Ssemakula.

Ongoing exercise

The national ID update and registration exercise kicked off on May 27, 2025, and by Wednesday morning, over 200 residents had already turned up at the NIRA offices in Kalangala. However, officers were overwhelmed due to a shortage of equipment, with the district operating only nine updating machines.

Dorothy Kiribaka, 70, expressed concern over the complicated procedure of filling out forms, which are in English—a language many elderly residents cannot interpret easily.

“They should have printed some forms in Luganda, which most of us understand. I was sent to the police to collect a letter, but we appeal to NIRA to station an officer at the office to issue these letters, rather than making us walk long distances,” she said.

Fred Badda, the Kalangala RDC, urged islanders to engage with moneylenders and request the return of their national IDs for renewal, while finding alternative ways to settle their outstanding loans.