By Mulengera Reporters
The Electoral Commission (EC) has spoken! After weeks of public curiosity, the EC has finally explained the Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVKs) that will be used in the upcoming elections. Solomon Muhumuza, Director of Technical Services, says these kits will make voting faster, safer, and almost impossible to cheat.
The BVVK replaces old manual registers, removing human errors, preventing duplicate votes, and making elections more credible. Every voter will be verified using fingerprints and facial recognition, so each vote comes from a real, registered voter.
Verification is fast only 25 to 30 seconds per voter. One device can handle about 700 voters in a 10-hour day. Each polling station has a backup device in case one fails, batteries that last the whole day, and extra power banks for safety.
All voter data is preloaded and secure. If a device is stolen, it can be tracked, locked, or wiped remotely. Data is encrypted and cannot be accessed without permission.
What if you forget your National ID? No problem. You can use a Voter Location Slip** or be verified from the voter register at the polling station. Biometric verification is **mandatory** – no fingerprints? Facial recognition will do.
Voters at the wrong polling station are redirected, and unregistered voters are automatically blocked. The system works offline, keeps all data private, and only records whether a voter was verified – not how they voted.
Double voting is impossible. The system marks each ballot as “USED,” and attempts to vote again are blocked instantly. Spoiled ballots? No problem, the system re-issues a new one automatically after rescanning and verification.
Muhumuza promises the BVVK will protect elections like never before, making fraud and cheating nearly impossible. The EC says Uganda is taking a major leap into secure, high-tech elections, and voters can expect a smooth, transparent process. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
