The government has introduced penalties of up to three months’ imprisonment or a fine of Shs120,000 for any Electoral Commission employee who tampers with or fails to properly use biometric voter verification machines during the 2026 general elections.
The sanctions are contained in new guidelines issued under a Statutory Instrument titled “The Electoral Commission (Adoption and Manner of Use of the Biometric Voter Verification System) Regulations, 2025”, made under the Electoral Commission Act.
According to the regulations, biometric voter verification devices will be used at polling stations to capture voters’ fingerprints and facial images, verify national identity cards, and confirm voter location slips before a ballot is issued.
Under the guidelines, any Electoral Commission staff member assigned to operate the biometric devices who deliberately fails to use them commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine of 120,000 shillings or imprisonment for three months, or both.
The regulations further state that any employee who tampers with, shakes, interferes with, or deliberately disrupts the biometric equipment with the intention of interfering with the electoral process will face the same penalty.
The government explains that the measures are intended to safeguard the integrity of the 2026 elections by ensuring proper identification and verification of voters at polling stations.
Under the new system, once a voter arrives at a polling station, election officials will use the biometric device to capture the voter’s details, verify their identity, and confirm their eligibility before issuing a ballot paper.
The devices are also equipped with cameras, which will be used to scan voter identity cards, polling station identification documents, and other required materials in line with the guidelines.
The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs says the regulations are aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and credibility in the electoral process, while deterring manipulation or interference with election technology.