Uganda’s electoral commission plans to meet next week with representatives of the country’s eight presidential candidates, political parties and stakeholders to explain its decision to use a biometric system to verify voters in the February 18 general election. This would be the first time that the electoral body employs a biometric system, which uses human body characteristics to confirm a person’s identity. Jotham Taremwa, a spokesman for the electoral commission, says the deployment of the biometric verification mechanism at all polling stations across the country will significantly boost the credibility of the presidential, legislative and local elections. The commission has begun training its officers in how to use the system.
“For the first time in our history of elections in Uganda, we are going to use biometric voter verification equipment at every polling station. When you come as a voter, the machine identifies you as so and your voting status by using either your thumbprint or a barcode on the back of your national ID [identification] or a barcode on the voter location’s list that we will be issuing at least two weeks before the polling,” Taremwa said.
“We are going to engage with all the parties and the official agents of the candidates to talk about this machine, he said, “but also demonstrate to them on how it would be used and what advantages come with it. And later we will roll out to our districts, sub-counties and parishes. So that by the time we go to the polling, everybody would appreciate and know how the machine works.”
Full Article: Uganda to Use Biometric Verification Machines for Elections.