By KT Reporter
The Electoral Commission has extended the deadline for the recruitment of biometric voter verification kit trainers and operators to Tuesday, 25 November 2025. Those intending to be recruited as operators of biometric voter verification kits can apply by Friday, 27 November 2025. The extensions come at a time when the Commission is under mounting pressure to complete a sophisticated technological and logistical operation that will rely heavily on both human expertise and digital infrastructure.
Paul Bukenya, Deputy Spokesperson, said that the Commission’s deployment plan includes sending two kits to each of Uganda’s 50,739 polling stations, while reserving additional devices for training and backup in case of malfunction or emergencies. He said the extensions were necessary because the Commission is “running a complex and delicate operation that requires the right people in the right positions.” He added, “Biometric verification is not an optional step; every voter must be verified before casting a ballot. By extending the deadlines, we are giving more qualified Ugandans the chance to participate in safeguarding their own democracy.” The recruitment exercise is one of the largest in the EC’s recent history. The Commission intends to deploy 1,050 biometric voter verification kit trainers, three per county. Thousands of Biometric voter verification kit operators will also be recruited to work under the supervision of presiding officers during each of the four rounds of elections.
They form part of a wider army of 405,912 polling officials who will be deployed across the country, supported by another 35,000 technical personnel already undergoing training. These teams will be deployed at the presidential, parliamentary, special interest group, and local government elections.
According the Bukenya, the commission is working simultaneously on other critical operations, including the printing, proofreading, sealing, and distribution of ballot papers for 45,505 elective positions that have attracted 83,597 candidates.
“The process spans artwork development, quality checks, and secure packaging before all materials are dispatched to the field,” he said. On 28 October 2025, the EC received the first batch of 60,000 Biometric Voter Verification Kits, with the remaining 49,100 expected from the manufacturer in China by the end of November. This technological framework is enabled by Sections 33 and 50 of the Electoral Commission Act, which grant the EC authority to adopt mechanisms that enhance electoral transparency.
The Commission’s Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, has repeatedly defended the Commission’s technological expansion, describing the biometric kits as “an indispensable tool that reinforces transparency and credibility at every polling station.
The extension has been welcomed by some individuals who were not sure of the Monday, 23rd November deadline. Some have expressed mixed reactions about the technology. Josephine Nalubega, a pharmacist in Kyaliwajjala, recalled previous elections in which kits arrived late or malfunctioned, particularly in remote areas. “We have seen these machines fail us before. If they don’t deploy early this time, people will lose patience and walk away,” she said.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
