Ballot stuffing is a thing of the past—EC’s Tashobya
“People planning mischief, people planning ballot stuffing, those are things of the past. We are confident, we shall be on top of the game in terms of technology, in terms of results that we will reflect the free will of the people of Uganda.”
Electoral Commission (EC) member Stephen Tashobya has assured citizens of a free and fair election. (Credit: Electoral Commission)
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Electoral Commission (EC) member Stephen Tashobya has assured citizens of a free and fair election.
“People planning mischief, people planning ballot stuffing, those are things of the past. We are confident, we shall be on top of the game in terms of technology, in terms of results that we will reflect the free will of the people of Uganda,” Tashobya, who is also a former Kajara County lawmaker, says.
He echoed this on December 9, 2025, while speaking at the National Peace Conference at Mestil Hotel in Nsambya-Kampala. The event organised by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), among others, ran under the mantra: Dialogue. Trust and Transparency; Pillars to Peaceful Elections.
“We are improving the process in terms of manpower. We are improving on technology. We have imported the Biometric Voter Verification Kits, which is going to be compulsory. For anyone to vote, you must be verified by the voter verification kit. You come, put in your thumbprint, it is captured. It shows your name,” Tashobya said.
Efficiency of tablets
His words come nearly two weeks after the body’s director of operations, Richard Kamugisha, assured lawmakers on the same.
At the time, Kamugisha was arguing his case for a shillings 469.5 billion supplementary budget before the House budget committee, chaired by Kachumbala MP Patrick Opolot Isiagi (NRM).
“The commission has acquired 109,000 tablets that will be used for verification of voters during polling for the general elections. This tablet, which we have acquired, is an upgraded tablet from what we have used before, because it has been enhanced with a number of biometric features that will enable the commission to positively identify voters to ensure one man one vote,” he said.
Kamugisha added that the new tablet will be able to verify a voter using all fingerprints. In cases where a voter’s fingerprints are worn out, the device, equipped with a camera, will capture the voter’s image and automatically pull up the corresponding record from the National Register, confirming their identity.
The tablet is also fitted with a QR code reader, enabling it to validate each ballot paper, which will be scanned during counting to prevent the use of alien or unauthorised ballot papers.