The Electoral Commission (EC) has started the nationwide distribution of election materials ahead of next week’s highly contested general elections.
Justice Simon Byabakama, the EC chairman,flaged off the first batch of voting materials to 12 districts from its warehouse as part of the phased exercise in the lead up to the polling day -January 15th 2026.
The materials include ballot papers for the prresidential election , Directly Elected Member of Parliament, and District Woman Member of Parliament elections.
Other essential supplies used at polling stations include declaration forms ,ballot boxes, and non‑candidate-specific items. The Commission has explained that the phased rollout of materials is a logistical measure intended to ensure that all supplies reach their designated district stores in good time ahead of polling day. Security personnel are deployed to accompany the movement and storage of these items to maintain accountability.
Byabakama explained that the staggered dispatch is part of normal election preparations aimed at ensuring that all polling stations are fully equipped ahead of voting day.
In line with the Commission’s election technology plans, Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVKs) will be deployed at polling stations across the country. These devices are designed to assist polling officials in verifying a voter’s identity using biometric data such as fingerprints or facial recognition before a ballot paper is issued. The EC has acquired a substantial number of these kits for use in the 2026 elections and continues training personnel to operate them effectively and infficiently.
Alongside material distribution, the EC has been issuing Voter Location Slips (VLS) to registered voters. These slips include information about a voter’s polling station and a barcode that interfaces with the biometric verification system. The voter-location exercise began in mid-December 2025 and is ongoing, with supervisors facilitating the process at parish or ward levels ahead of polling day.
As part of public information efforts, the Electoral Commission has outlined how election results will be announced at polling stations immediately after counting and then transmitted to district tally centers in accordance with legal requirements.
