'Satanic' misinformation mars northern Uganda national ID registration

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Police in the North Kyoga Region have launched investigations into individuals reportedly spreading fear and misinformation about the ongoing national identity card (ID) renewal exercise, branding it as 'satanic'.

North Kyoga region Police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema says security agencies have taken keen interest in these claims, which threaten to derail a crucial government service.

“There are some complaints coming in from different places that a few individuals are claiming the national ID renewal exercise is satanic and urging people not to participate,” Okema says, adding: “As security, we are taking this very seriously.”

Okema urged the public to treat the national ID as a vital document, necessary for accessing key services such as SIM card registration, recruitment into security forces, acquiring passports, driver's licences, government jobs and treatment in health facilities.

“Without a national ID, you are locked out of many essential services,” he says.

He describes those spreading anti-ID sentiments as “mad and dangerous,” adding that their actions undermine national development.

“They lack patriotic ideology. We must identify and educate them because Uganda is governed by law, not ignorance.”

He was speaking via the phone on July 8, 2025.

This is not the first time such claims have surfaced as similar allegations have been reported in Amolatar district, where some individuals claimed that biometric registration for government services was linked to satanic practices.

The incident sparked fear among villagers, particularly in rural parishes, prompting security and religious leaders to intervene and sensitise communities about the importance of national documentation.

In the current case, Okema called on community members to report individuals making such claims, urging patriotic citizens to support law enforcement in unmasking the culprits.

The renewal and mass enrolment for National IDs is being conducted by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), with efforts to decentralise access and bring services closer to rural populations.

Police say they are working closely with local leaders and intelligence teams to monitor the situation and ensure the exercise proceeds uninterrupted.