The Electoral Commission (EC) of Uganda has trained Members of Parliament on the use of Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVK), assuring legislators that the technology will enhance accuracy and transparency in the 2026 general elections.
The one-day workshop, held at Parliament on December 18, 2025, provided MPs with hands-on guidance on the operation of the kits. The training comes amid concerns from some legislators about the lack of regulations and public sensitisation for the new system ahead of the polls.
EC Director of Technical Services, Solomon Muhumuza, explained that the BVVKs are upgraded versions of the kits used in 2016 and 2021. They are preloaded with voter data and designed to prevent ballot manipulation. “Before the voting exercise on polling day, the kits will be witnessed by appointed polling agents to ensure that they have not been tampered with,” he said.
MPs raised several questions during the session. Hon. Emmanuel Otaala (NRM, West Budama County South) asked how the EC will prevent ballot stuffing, while Hon. Margaret Ayebare (Mbarara District Woman MP) queried whether the kits will start with the first registered voter at each station. Hon. Sarah Opendi (NRM, Tororo District) emphasised the need for public education on the kits, noting that insufficient awareness could undermine confidence. Hon. Gorreth Namugga (NUP, Mawogola County South) asked what measures will be in place if the kits fail at polling stations.
Principal Election Officer Catherine Onekalit clarified that preloaded data is only for identification and does not constitute prescanning of ballots. Voters will present voter location slips or national IDs, after which biometric verification via fingerprints or facial recognition will be conducted. “The kits ensure that only registered persons vote and that each person votes only once,” she said.
Samuel Kiyingi, also a Principal Election Officer, assured MPs that alternative measures will be in place for faulty kits and that extensive sensitisation will be conducted at sub-county level before the elections.
The EC has procured 109,142 BVVKs, which will be deployed across all 50,739 polling stations nationwide, reinforcing efforts to uphold credibility and transparency in the electoral process.
