The Chairperson of Uganda’s Electoral Commission, Justice Simon Byabakama, has raised serious concerns over the suitability of 36,000 biometric tablets initially used in the 2024 National Census, warning they are unfit for deployment in the upcoming 2026 general elections.
Appearing before Parliament’s Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee to present the Commission’s 2025/26 Ministerial Policy Statement, Justice Byabakama cautioned lawmakers about the deteriorating battery life of the devices, originally procured by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS). The government has since directed the Commission to repurpose the tablets for voter verification in the next election.
“While these machines were said to have an 18-hour battery life at the time of procurement, recent tests in March 2025 show they deplete in just seven hours — and that’s while idle,” said Justice Byabakama. “If they can’t last a day now, what happens on polling day when they must operate non-stop in high-turnout areas?”
He added that further battery degradation by January 2026 could severely compromise their functionality, risking electoral delays and potential disenfranchisement.
Members of the committee echoed his concerns, warning that reliance on the same tablets could repeat the chaos of the census, which was marred by technical failures and data discrepancies — ultimately prompting UBOS to recall parts of its results.
The Electoral Commission has urged government to reconsider the directive, citing the need for more reliable equipment to safeguard the credibility of the electoral process.