KIGALI - The Secretary General in the Ministry of Local Government Eugene Balikana has dismissed rumors that the deadline for the registration exercise of the new national ID card would be extended.

"According to the reports we have received from different parts of the country, the turn-up was high and in most of the cells the exercise has actually completed,” Balikana said.

He said that the ministry has not yet decided on whether to extend the exercise because it will be established after all cells have turned in their reports.

The process, which began countrywide on Saturday, ended yesterday and according to Balikana,

"It will all depend on the general results of the registration,” he said.

The registration, which saw Rwandans in Diaspora queuing at their respective embassies for registration, paves way for issuance of new electronic identity cards.

The Minister of Local government, Protais Musoni said on Saturday that extension of the registration timeline is a prerogative of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

"Extending the registration exercise is a Prime Minister and the Cabinet’s decision to make. But it’s important that all people get registered,” Musoni said .

Musoni said that people who lost their identification papers and could not manage to register over the weekend shall register at their respective sectors after producing proof from police as citizens of Rwanda.

Some of the problems encountered during the exercise, according to Balikana include some leaders who took advantage of the process to confiscate people’s identification cards from defaulters of taxes and other charges that are levied on people.

"Wherever we learnt of such problems, we quickly intervened because this process has nothing to do with all other programmes,” Balikana said.

The minister also clarified that the exercise is free of charge, warning leaders against charging money from people.

The new electronic identity card will be different from the previous one and difficult for forge. It will contain all personal data, driving license, medical insurance cards, social security fund number, among others. 

It shall have a micro chip which will enable a computer to give out all the personal data.

The cost for the ID ranges between Frw500 to Frw10, 000 depending on the various information provided by the owner.|Ends