Chased Away and Left to Die How a National Security Approach to Uganda’s National Digital ID Has Led to Wholesale Exclusion of Women and Older Persons ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Publication date: June 8, 2021 Cover photo taken by ISER. An elderly woman having her biometric and biographic details captured by Centenary Bank at a distribution point for the Senior Citizens’ Grant in Kayunga District. Consent was obtained to use this image in our report, advocacy, and associated communications material. Copyright © 2021 by the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, Initiative for Social and Economic Rights, and Unwanted Witness. All rights reserved. Center for Human Rights and Global Justice New York University School of Law Wilf Hall, 139 MacDougal Street New York, New York 10012 United States of America This report does not necessarily reflect the views of NYU School of Law. Initiative for Social and Economic Rights Plot 60 Valley Drive, Ministers Village Ntinda – Kampala Post Box: 73646, Kampala, Uganda Unwanted Witness Plot 41, Gaddafi Road Opp Law Development Centre Clock Tower Post Box: 71314, Kampala, Uganda 2 Chased Away and Left to Die ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report is a joint publication by the Digital Welfare State and Human Rights Project at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ) based at NYU School of Law in New York City, United States of America, the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) and Unwanted Witness (UW), both based in Kampala, Uganda. The report is based on joint research undertaken between November 2020 and May 2021. Work on the report was made possible thanks to support from Omidyar Network and the Open Society Foundations. Research and drafting for this report, both from Uganda and abroad, has been conducted by the following individuals (in alphabetical order with organizational affiliation): Katelyn Cioffi (CHRGJ), Kiira Brian Alex (ISER), Dorothy Mukasa (UW), Angella Nabwowe – Kasule (ISER), Salima Namusobya (ISER), Nattabi Vivienne (UW), Adam Ray (CHRGJ), Sempala Allan Kigozi (UW), and Christiaan van Veen (CHRGJ). Research in Uganda was further supported by the following researchers: Herbert Brenan Kafumbe (Unwanted Witness), Mugoya Musa (ISER), Kiai Sonia Claudia (ISER), Dominic Adeeda (ISER), Charleen Guloba (ISER), Labila Sumayah Musoke (ISER), Joseph Byomuhangyi (ISER), Margaret Nabasirye (ISER), Joshua Kisawuzi (ISER). Copy editor: Sharon Her Graphic design: Nou Moua (CHRGJ) We would like to thank the following persons for generously offering their time to comment on earlier versions of this report (in alphabetical order): Philip Alston, Laura Bingham, Yussuf Bashir, Ngozi Nwanta, and Jaap van der Straaten. Any errors in the report are the sole responsibility of the authors. Most importantly, we extend our sincere thanks to all the people in Uganda who offered their precious time to share their personal experiences with us. We will continue to follow their situation closely, especially those individuals who courageously agreed to be profiled in this report and associated communications. How a National Security Approach to Uganda’s National Digital ID Has Led to Wholesale Exclusion of Women and Older Persons 3 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ACRONYMS ABBREVIATIONS CHRGJ Center for Human Rights and Global Justice CRVS Civil Registration and Vital Statistics DFID UK Department for International Development DISO District Internal Security Officer EC Electoral Commission ESP Expanding Social Protection Programme FCDO Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office GISO Gombolola Internal Security Officer GMSA Global System for Mobile Communications Association ISER Initiative for Social and Economic Rights LC1 Local Council I MDAs Ministries, Departments, and Agencies MGLSD Ministry of Gender Labour & Social Development MIA Ministry of Internal Affairs MIS Management Information System MOFPED Ministry of Finance, Planning & Economic Development MOH Ministry of Health NCIB National Citizenship and Immigration Board NIC National ID Card, also known as Ndaga Muntu NIN National ID Number NIR National Identity Register NIRA National Identification and Registration Authority NITA-U National Information Technology Authority PMU Programme Management Unit PSP Payment Service Provider ROPA Registration of Persons Act of 2015 SAGE Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment SCG Senior Citizens’ Grant SDG Sustainable Development Goals UGX Ugandan Shillings UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund URSB Uganda Registration Services Bureau USAID United States Agency for International Development USD United States Dollars UW Unwanted Witness 4 Chased Away and Left to Die DEFINITIONS TERM DEFINITION The distinctive, measurable characteristics used to label and describe individuals, often biometric identifiers categorized as physiological characteristics such as fingerprint, face recognition, DNA, palm print, iris.1 A means of identifying or authenticating the identity of an individual both online and digital ID offline.2 A dynamic, multidimensional process that is usually driven by unequal power relationships. Involves a lack of or denial of resources, rights, goods and services, and participation in society. Can occur across four dimensions—cultural, economic, social exclusion political, and social—and at different levels, affecting individuals, groups, households, communities, countries, and global regions. Affects both the quality of life of individuals and the equity and cohesion of society as a whole.3 How a National Security Approach to Uganda’s National Digital ID Has Led to Wholesale Exclusion of Women and Older Persons 5 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 4 DEFINITIONS � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5 INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 8 1. Ndaga Muntu: A National Security ‘Weapon’ ................................ 8 2. Ndaga Muntu Leads to Severe and Wholesale Exclusion ..................... 9 3. The Dream of Inclusion Versus the Harsh Reality of Exclusion ...............11 4. The Struggles and Failures of NIRA .......................................13 5. What is Digital About Uganda’s Digital ID System? ..........................14 6. Are the Benefits Really Worth the Costs? ..................................15 A TIMELINE OF THE UGANDAN NATIONAL ID PROJECT � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 19 SECTION 1: WHY THIS RESEARCH AND WHY THIS FOCUS? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 21 SECTION 2: “IF YOU DO NOT HAVE IT, YOU WILL BE LEFT BEHIND”: THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT OF NDAGA MUNTU � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �24 1. Registration for the Ndaga Muntu System .................................26 2. Exclusion from the Senior Citizens’ Grant .................................35 Existing challenges for older persons in Uganda . 37 How to target the old? . 39 Ndaga Muntu: a targeting tool or an exclusionary tool? . 41 “If you get money and leave, you are done for”: payment service providers . 44 A missing link with civil registration . 48 3. Access to Health Care for Women .......................................48 Existing challenges to health care in Uganda . 51 Health services in Uganda . 52 Chased away from the health centre . 54 Friction with the community . 57 4. How Can Individuals Complain? .........................................58 5. Why Exclusion From Ndaga Muntu is an Urgent Human Rights Concern .......61 SECTION 3: WHEN THE CURE IS WORSE THAN THE DISEASE: NDAGA MUNTU AND IDENTITY POLITICS � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 64 1. The Beginning of the Ndaga Muntu Project ................................64 2. Legality at Last: The Registration of Persons Act of 2015 (ROPA) .............66 3. More Than Just an Identity Card: The Complexity of the Ndaga Muntu System ..67 4. A Helicopter View of Ndaga Muntu .......................................67 6 Chased Away and Left to Die 5. The Struggles and Failures of NIRA .......................................70 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 73 ENDNOTES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 78 BIBLIOGRAPHY � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 85 Articles, Reports, and Books ...............................................85 Laws, Treaties, and Regulations ............................................88 Government of Uganda ..................................................88 Regional and International Agencies, Organizations and Bodies ................91 Press and Media. 93 ANNEX: THE COSTS OF NDAGA MUNTU � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 96 How a National Security Approach to Uganda’s National Digital ID Has Led to Wholesale Exclusion of Women and Older Persons 7 INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Ndaga Muntu, Uganda’s national digital ID system, is a government showpiece