By Mulengera Reporters
The Electoral Commission has assured Ugandans that the Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVK) to be used during Thursday’s elections are fully equipped to deliver a smooth and credible voting exercise.
Speaking ahead of the polls, Julius Mucunguzi said the machines have been tested extensively and contain several backup systems to eliminate the possibility of failure on voting day.
Mucunguzi explained that each BVVK machine has a battery life of more than 16 hours, yet the voting exercise is expected to last only 10 hours. He added that every polling station will have two machines, giving a combined operational capacity of 32 hours.
“To address any concerns about functionality, each polling station will also have a spare battery and power bank,” he said.
He further revealed that Electoral Commission staff and machine operators have undergone enhanced training to ensure they are fully prepared to handle the technology effectively.
“The level of training undertaken for BVVK operators and trainers has been highly enhanced to leave no room for anybody to say they do not know how to operate the machine,” Mucunguzi noted.
Beyond fingerprint verification, the machines are also capable of facial recognition and iris scanning, which the commission says will help voters whose fingerprints may not easily be detected.
According to Mucunguzi, the technology will also play a role in protecting the integrity of ballot papers. Each ballot paper will first be scanned using a barcode to confirm that it belongs to the correct polling station and is legitimate.
Before counting begins, ballots inside the box will again be scanned to ensure that no unauthorized ballot papers have been inserted.
“This level of verification leaves no room for failure. Failure to use the BVVK machine is not an option in this general election,” he emphasized.
The Electoral Commission has also been conducting online training sessions for stakeholders ahead of the elections to familiarize them with the machines and reduce potential challenges during the voting process.
The BVVK machines are expected to strengthen transparency, accuracy and confidence in Uganda’s electoral process as the country heads to the polls. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
