FDC raises concern over voter machines

Bio-Metric Voter Verification Kit machines being off-loaded at the Electoral Commission Offices in Kilembe Quarters in Kasese Town on Wednesday. PHOTO BY MORIS MUMBERE

Kasese. Forum for Democratic Change leaders in Kasese District have expressed fears over the use of the Bio-metric Voter Verification Kit (BVVK) in next week’s elections.
The district FDC secretary general, Ms Flavia Masika, wondered what will happen if the machine goes off after its battery has run down in areas where there is no electricity.

The Electoral Commission (EC) handed over 603 biometric machines to the district on Wednesday.
However, Mr Lawrence Mbonigaba, the district returning officer, said the machines had been tested and proven that they can ably work for 18 hours without being recharged.
However, he added that in case of any problem, there will be spare machines at the sub-county headquarters to handle such emergencies.

Mr Mbonigaba said the EC has set aside money for transportation of election materials and assured all voters of prompt delivery.
However, 23,000 eligible voters of the registered 346,000 in Kasese had not picked their national Identity Cards by Thursday evening.
The cards will be used for voter identification at the polling station.
Mr Mbonigaba allayed the fears, saying having no national ID does not stop one from voting if his/her name appears in the national voters register.

He said the EC introduced the machines to check electoral malpractices such as multiple voting, directing the voter to the right polling station to cast his/her vote.
Mr Davis Muhwezi, the district support technician for Kasese, said the BVVK machine cannot open before 7am but it can accept to be closed beyond 4pm when the voting is supposed to end.
The district police commander, Mr Godfrey Maate, assured the voters of maximum security before, during and after voting.