Biometric Tender Sparks Outcry As Uganda Heads Toward 2026 Elections

By Herbert Kayongo | Diaspora Connect International

As Uganda edges closer to its 2026 general elections, public confidence in the country’s electoral process faces yet another test — this time over the procurement of the Biometric Voter Verification System (BVVS). The contract, reportedly worth USD 80 million, has been awarded to Simi Valley Tech Ltd, a company incorporated barely a year ago, sparking widespread concern among governance experts, opposition figures, and civil-society groups.

A Tender Shrouded in Secrecy

According to documents reviewed by independent media and investigative outlets, Simi Valley Tech Ltd was incorporated on October 29, 2024, with a share capital of UGX 3 million. Questions immediately arose over how such a newly formed firm secured one of the most sensitive national contracts ahead of a pivotal election.

A report by TV10 Gano Mazima News (2025) described the company as “a briefcase entity” with no track record in handling biometric or electoral technology contracts. The same outlet revealed that the company had already received 70 percent of the USD 80 million payment before public scrutiny or parliamentary oversight had occurred.

While officials within the State House and the Electoral Commission (EC) remain tight-lipped, the alleged irregularities in the award process have reignited fears of elite impunity in Uganda’s public procurement system.

“When a company with no history of service delivery is handed a project that determines our democracy, something is deeply wrong,” said Joseph Otim, a procurement governance expert with the Kampala-based Centre for Public Integrity. “The process should have been transparent, competitive, and based on proven competence. What we see instead is political patronage disguised as technological advancement.”

Key Facts About the Controversial Contract

Technology Without Trust

The Electoral Commission maintains that the biometric voter verification kits (BVVKs) are meant to enhance accuracy in voter identification and reduce fraud. In October 2025, EC officials announced the arrival of 60,000 kits, part of a planned 109,142-unit rollout before the elections (Biometric Update, 2025).

However, governance analysts warn that new technology cannot substitute for institutional trust.

“Uganda has used biometric verification before — in 2016 and 2021 — but results were marred by logistical failures and incomplete voter data,” observed Dr. Moses Kakembo, a political science lecturer at Makerere University. “The system’s credibility rests not on the machines, but on how they are procured and managed.”

The Shadow of Impunity

Behind the biometric debate lies a broader governance concern: impunity among state officials involved in procurement. Uganda’s Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDA) requires open competition, value for money, and verifiable performance capacity. Yet civil-society reviews show that these standards are often flouted.

A Trusted News Uganda report (2021) found that 99 percent of digital-technology procurement value by government agencies between 2015 and 2021 was never publicly disclosed.

“We are witnessing a pattern where critical contracts — especially those tied to elections or surveillance — are handled in secrecy,” noted Sarah Nalubega, a legal officer with Transparency Watch Uganda. “Such opacity is dangerous in an election year. It fuels public suspicion and undermines the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy.”

Electoral Commission Under Scrutiny

The Electoral Commission, chaired by Justice Simon Byabakama, has yet to issue a detailed statement addressing concerns about Simi Valley Tech Ltd’s qualifications. When pressed by journalists last month, EC spokespersons maintained that the procurement “followed due process.”

Yet independent observers question that assertion. The Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, in an earlier session, reportedly rejected a similar batch of kits due to compatibility and performance issues (Parliament Watch Uganda, 2024).

Uganda’s History With Biometric Elections

• 2016: First major rollout of biometric voter verification kits. Technical glitches and slow data processing delayed voting in several districts.
• 2021: Expanded use of BVVKs, but opposition parties reported widespread malfunctions and selective deployment.
• 2026 (Upcoming): Introduction of new supplier amid allegations of irregular tendering. Civil society fears a repeat of past failures if transparency is not restored.

International and Domestic Reactions

Election observers from the European Union (EU) and Commonwealth have in previous missions urged Uganda to improve procurement transparency and safeguard the independence of the EC. With the Simi Valley contract now under the spotlight, some diplomats have privately expressed concern that Uganda could again face questions of credibility similar to those following the 2021 polls.

Domestically, youth-led movements and opposition groups have begun circulating petitions demanding an independent audit of the contract and a moratorium on further payments until the company’s qualifications are verified.

“We are not against technology — we are against corruption hidden behind technology,” said Mariam Kakande, coordinator of the Uganda Youth for Democracy Coalition. “Every shilling spent on elections must serve the people, not political insiders.”

Need for Accountability

As of November 2025, there is no public record showing that the Inspectorate of Government or the Public Procurement Authority has opened a formal investigation into the contract. Opposition MPs, however, have vowed to table an urgent motion in Parliament.

Legal experts argue that the EC’s silence could expose the institution to litigation.

“Under Article 61 of the Constitution, the EC is mandated to ensure free and fair elections,” explained Advocate Robert Mugerwa. “If it knowingly engages in irregular procurement that jeopardises that mandate, it becomes complicit in subverting the democratic process.”

Restoring Faith Before It’s Too Late

With barely a month left to Uganda’s next national polls, restoring electoral credibility demands urgent action. Transparency in procurement, independent audits of the biometric system, and clear communication from the Electoral Commission are essential to rebuilding trust.

As Dr. Kakembo of Makerere University concludes: “A credible election is not built on technology — it’s built on truth. And truth begins with openness.”

Ugandans deserve not just the right to vote, but the confidence that their votes will count — unmanipulated, uncompromised, and unsold.

For God and My Country!