Omtatah-linked party moves to court over IEBC ballot paper security changes

Jukwaa

📋 Breaking It Down

The National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA) Party argues that the changes could weaken safeguards designed to protect ballot papers against counterfeiting, duplication and manipulation, raising concerns about the integrity and verifiability of the electoral process.

The High Court has certified the petition as urgent and directed the respondents, including the IEBC, to respond within seven days. The matter will be mentioned on October 14 for directions.

Also Read: Court halts IEBC ballot printing tender amid battle over bidders

📌 What You Need to Know

In its petition, the party challenges Addendum Number. 3/Clarifications dated September 17, 2026, through which the Commission introduced what it described as a “technical relaxation to optimise cost and timelines” in the procurement of ballot papers and other electoral materials.

The dispute stems from a tender advertised on August 11, 2026, for the supply of ballot papers and other electoral materials under an open international tender for a three-year framework contract.

The original tender document prescribed a range of security features, including uniquely generated guilloche patterns integrated with variable data, micro-text incorporating variable data, machine-readable QR codes designed to prevent duplication, and tapered serial numbers printed using multicoloured ink.

A voter uses a plastic tub to secure privacy to mark her ballot paper at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, on January 14, 2021.

However, the subsequent addendum permits single-colour black serialisation instead of multicoloured serialisation, static guilloche patterns and micro-text in place of variable formats, and blind embossing without metallic foil stamping.

Other safeguards, including watermarks, ultraviolet security elements and anti-duplication QR codes, remain mandatory.

📰 Source: Nation Africa

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