In a landmark decision aimed at streamlining government operations and curbing public expenditure, Parliament has approved the transfer of civil marriage registration from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA). This move is part of the government’s broader initiative to rationalize agencies and cut down on administrative redundancies within the public sector.
Under the new arrangement, NIRA will assume full responsibility for the registration of civil, faith based, and customary marriages. As part of its new mandate, NIRA will maintain and oversee the national marriage register, a duty that had previously been under the the URSB.
This policy shift is intended to foster efficiency by consolidating civil registration activities under one entity. NIRA, already tasked with managing the national identification register, is seen as well-positioned to integrate the marriage registration system with the country’s overall identity management infrastructure. By streamlining the processes into one institution, the government expects to reduce the overlap in functions between different agencies, cutting operational costs and enhancing service delivery to citizens.
This transfer of responsibilities forms part of a broader strategy within the government’s agenda to consolidate public institutions with overlapping mandates. The ongoing rationalization efforts have already seen several other agencies merged, dissolved, or restructured as part of a drive to make public service delivery more efficient and less costly.
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