EC should go slow on the electoral process modernisation. Modernising the electoral process can result in inaccurate, costly and inefficient elections if rushed. The Electoral commission is set to spend at least Shs 1.2 trillion on 2016 general elections. Biometric systems are intended to eliminate “ghost” voters, and multiple voting. A biometric system will not end voter intimidation, vote buying, incompetent polling officials and political violence. The money for biometrics could be diverted to investing in health equipments for Ugandan hospitals.
Does Uganda really need biometrics at this time? Biometric technology has proved to be problematic on election days in Africa. They are complex and a lot of time is needed for training. Over 24 countries in Africa have tried a biometric component in their voting systems and registered failures. There are problems of biometric power sources and malfunction. It was reported that in 2013 Kenyan Elections, for example, many of the classrooms used as polling stations lacked electricity, and laptops deployed as part of the biometric kits ran out of battery power just an hour after polling began.
What will happen on election date with biometrics? There seems to be no early preparation plans by the Uganda Electoral commission on biometrics trial to avert glitches. Voter register update process would have been the right time to pilot these biometric kits reliability.
Biometric systems may be recipe for election violence in Uganda. Recent presidential elections in Nigeria were also marred by biometric technical problems. The election had to be extended for the second day. Not even incumbent president Jonathan was spared with finger print reader failure fracas. He had to wait nearly forty minutes before he was able to vote. Electoral violence normally starts when results take long time to be announced. Delays cause anxiety. Imagine tensions from delayed voting, votes counting and denied right to vote because of biometric malfunctioning.
Early Public awareness is important. Superstitions against biometrics may cause people to shy away from the polling stations fearing side effects. In some areas during 2013 general elections, Kenyans were reluctant to register because of rumours that the Biometric kits could cause cancer or impotence according to an Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) report.There is need to sensitise all classes of people about the entire biometric process before Election Day. Mindsets of Ugandans need to be prepared to embrace biometrics. Those who bribe voters may lie to them that the biometric machine will alert them if they do not vote for them.EC must move fast to address such fears. Uganda Election Commission must also be prepared to educate masses on dirty or oily hands that may make the biometrics to fail. The lesson from Nigerian election is that areas that had people who washed their hands registered less biometric glitches. EC must start communicating biometrics system procedure early enough. What does the voter do at the polling centre? What is the role of the polling agent?
EC should be looking at plan B in case biometrics fail. This plan B must be communicated prior as a reassurance to voters. If the Uganda Electoral commission just resorts to plan B, then there may be issues of credibility in elections. Biometrics technology may address long lines problem at polling stations. No one wants paper based systems with errors. These errors create needless barriers to voting, frustration, and long lines at the polls. Biometrics systems offer less human error procedures that may leave out others.
The Uganda Election commission should also ensure that the biometric kits are be enough for all polling centres and no sharing like it was in the Kenyan 2013 general elections. The IEBC used 15,000 kits for approximately 25,000 centres according to an Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) report. In a public statement, the IEBC Chair Ahmed Issack Hassan explained there would be some sharing of BVR kits between centres, especially in rural and sparsely populated areas. Sharing biometric kits may cause delays. An Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) poll carried out in May 2013 revealed several problems with the voter register on Election Day. Only 50 per cent of respondents said that they were identified in the electronic voter register.
Findings from countries such as Nigeria, the DRC, Ghana, Kenya, and Cameroon that have used the BVR system show that the main challenge is the possibility of equipment malfunctioning. Uganda Electoral commission must be transparent with the biometric system procurement, training, and implementation. This is a step to free and fair elections. Procurement and training should start at least six months prior to elections.
Ivan N.Baliboola
PR and Organisational Diagnosis specialist
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