Court Admits NIRA Document in Case Challenging Minsa Kabanda’s Official Names

What the report says

The High Court has admitted a National Identification and Registration Authority document into evidence in a case questioning inconsistencies in Minsa Kabanda’s official names on identification records. According to Nile Post, the ruling was made by Justice Flavia Nabakooza after the court examined a challenge raised by Ambrose Tebiasa, lawyer for the first respondent, who argued that the electronic document should not be accepted because it lacked a physical certification stamp and was addressed to the Registrar.

Justice Nabakooza said she verified the document’s authenticity herself by scanning its QR code and checking it against NIRA’s electronic system. She relied on the Electronic Transactions Act in concluding that electronic records can be recognized if their authenticity and integrity are established. In her view, requiring an extra manual stamp would be unnecessary where the document’s source had already been independently confirmed through the agency’s digital system.

The judge also noted that the national identification number on the disputed document matched details in other records already before court, including a NIRA letter dated June 20, 2025. She stressed that admitting the document did not mean the court had accepted all of its contents as conclusive proof, but only that it could be considered as part of the evidence.

The decision means the document will now be considered as the court examines the conflicting names appearing in Kabanda’s identification records, a dispute that highlights the growing role of electronic verification in public administration and court proceedings.