As Uganda prepares for the next phase of voting this Thursday, the Electoral Commission (EC) has clarified concerns over the performance of the Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVKs), emphasizing that the machines functioned successfully wherever they were properly deployed.
According to sources who spoke to Nile Post on condition of anonymity, BVVKs were operational in 16 districts, verifying voters smoothly and securely with no technical failures reported.
"The BVVK machines worked. Where they were used, they verified voters successfully. Challenges experienced were not technical failures, but administrative and logistical gaps," a source confirmed.
Ahead of the polls, the EC held multiple demonstrations of the BVVK machines for political parties, members of the media, and election observers.
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These exercises were intended to build confidence in the technology's reliability and showcase its ability to authenticate voters using biometric data.
Observers confirmed that the machines are capable of supporting a smooth verification process when operators, access credentials, and logistics are properly coordinated.
The gaps experienced in some areas were attributed to administrative and logistical challenges rather than machine failures. Key issues included:
- Delayed deployment of trained operators
- Late delivery of access codes required to activate the kits
In areas affected, polling officials relied on manual voter registers to ensure that eligible voters were not turned away.
The EC stressed that manual registers were used only as a contingency measure where operators or access codes were unavailable on time, and not because the BVVKs were defective.
Where the machines were fully supported, biometric verification proceeded as designed, verifying voters efficiently and reinforcing the credibility of the process.
The Commission confirmed that the same BVVK machines will be used in the upcoming voting phase. Officials noted that the kits are a long-term investment in Uganda's electoral system, designed to serve multiple elections and improve verification processes over time.
Amid widespread misinformation on social media, the EC is prioritizing factual clarity and public reassurance through coordinated media engagement and stakeholder communication.
The message from officials remains clear: the BVVK technology is reliable, and challenges experienced were logistical, not technical. Measures have been put in place to address deployment gaps ahead of Thursday's vote.
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Where deployed correctly, BVVK machines worked as intended. With improved administrative coordination, Uganda's electoral process is expected to benefit even more from this technology in the coming elections.
