By Arthur Wadero
A section of stakeholders, including Members of Parliament, have raised the alarm over the government’s plan on deploying and fully relying on the Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVK) during the 2026 General Elections in Uganda. What is intended as a technological solution to electoral fraud is now stirring anxiety among legislators, civil society actors, and election observers, who fear that gaps in law, training, and public awareness could disrupt the voting process.
In a series of concerns, key stakeholders are largely concerned about the plan to fully authenticate voters using digital gadgets as opposed to the traditional practice of relying on the national voters’ register.
While officials argue that the biometric voter kits will enhance transparency and credibility, critics warn that the shift is being rushed without adequate preparation or legal backing.
Masaka District Woman Member of Parliament, Joan Namutaawe, is among those questioning why government is pressing ahead with the use of BVVKs despite the failure to adjust the legislation to cater for the same.
Her concerns were echoed by the Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, who tasked the government to explain whether the said BVVK machines would be mandatory during the General polls slated for January 2026.
“We hear that these machines could be used mandatorily. The government needs to come out very clear on that matter. Are they saying that these kits are going to be used mandatorily? We need a yes or no, so that we know,” Ssenyonyi said.
Beyond legality, Ssenyonyi questioned the transparency surrounding the procurement and operation of the machines, arguing that even vast majority of key stakeholders remain largely in the dark about the said voter kits.
“So you come to parliament for money for these machines. You have little information about them. Not all stakeholders are brought on board. Who are we purchasing them from? How are they meant to function?” Ssenyonyi said.
The unease is not limited to the opposition benches. Speaker of Parliament Anita Among reaffirmed the same fears that legislators who are critical stakeholders in the election, are ignorant about how the BVVK machines work. She called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct practical demonstrations, starting with Members of Parliament on how the BVVK machines will be operated.
“We are saying that we don’t all know. Everybody does not know,” Speaker Among noted and immediately tasked government officials, to get stakeholders a practical demonstration on how the kits will function, starting with the Members of Parliament.
The Electoral Commission has procured 60,000 biometric voter verification machines, which will authenticate voters during elections using fingerprints or facial recognition. According to the Electoral Commission, each polling station will be equipped with at least two BVVK kits to minimize delays and technical disruptions on voting day.
However, the legal framework to support their use remains incomplete. To formally deploy the kits, the Ministry of Justice has proposed to amend Section 12(1) of the Electoral Commission Act to formally permit the Electoral Commission to use biometric systems to manage elections.
Civil society organisations are also raising red flags, particularly over limited public sensitization. Christine Nakiwala, the programs manager at the Lituuli initiative, argues that focusing training on Members of Parliament alone ignores the realities on the ground. Nakiwala says that the EC should consider extending such training to people upcountry.
“It is unfair that such a training is mainly focused on equipping Members of Parliament and yet they are only a few compared to others in the upcountry areas who comprise the biggest voting bracket of Ugandans,” Nakiwala said.
She added, “I would therefore expect that such plans are implemented by the Electoral Commission in the distant parts of the country too so that the exercise goes with minimal hiccups when the voting day comes.”
Similar concerns were raised by Anita Kuya, the Head of Research at Hope Alive, who believes the training has come too late to make a meaningful impact.
“I expected the training of this kind to have been at least two months ago, so that voters have sufficient time to appreciate how the voter kits work. This, therefore, reflects poor planning on the side of the government,” Kuya said.
As the election day approaches, stakeholders insist that technology alone cannot guarantee a smooth and credible poll. Without clear laws, transparent procurement, and widespread voter education, the biometric kits risk becoming a source of confusion rather than confidence. For some observers, the question is no longer whether biometric verification is useful, but whether Uganda is truly ready to rely on it when citizens head to the ballot box in 2026.
