The Sunday Mail
Dr Samuel Chindaro
As human beings, we easily recognise each other by observing the way we look and processing this information in our brains. We do so sub-consciously by collecting a variety of information, processing it in our brains and reaching a conclusion about the identity of individuals.
We gather information about, for example, a person’s height (“murefu/mupfupi’ – short/tall”), body size (“mukobvu/mutete” – fat/thin), even about ears/eyes size (ane mazinzeve mahombe/ane maziso mahombe” – he/she has big ears/large eyes), etcetera, which enable us to recognise individuals.
Biometrics is an attempt by a “computer” to do similar things.
In order for it to do so, it has to be presented with information regarding an individual’s physical or behavioural properties in a language which it understands, for instance, numerical distance between the eyes, the depth/size of the nose, size of the mouth.
Therefore, biometrics refers to the computerised/automatic identification of people based not only on these features, but additionally other intricate features such as fingerprints and the iris.
Biometric identifiers cannot be shared or misplaced; they intrinsically and uniquely represent the individual’s identity.
In general, biometrics can be used for positive identification, that is, to prove that an individual is who they claim to be.
It can also be used, on a large scale, to verify whether the person is in the database or not.
Biometrics can also be used for screening people, for example, to check whether someone is on a wanted list or to prevent/allow access.
The simplest form of biometric screening the author observed was at a nursery school.
The door to the nursery playing area was high enough to allow the toddlers to run through, but too short for an adult to pass through.
The biometric trait being utilised here was height!
Some examples of usage of biometrics in modern gadgets are computers/phones where you can log in using your fingerprint, cars which you can open and start using your fingerprint and phones (and other gadgets) which can recognise your voice.
A number of businesses which require secure access to their premises, such as banks, are also using biometric-controlled gates.
A lot of countries have adopted biometric passports which have a chip containing an individual’s face and fingerprint information, and an increasing number is adopting “smartcard IDs (zvitupa)” containing biometric information.
These biometric IDs can then be used for access to various services such as pensions and social welfare.
The first step in the biometrics process is for a user of the system to be enrolled (registered) by having their biometrics captured and stored, that is, giving the computer the physical measurements mentioned earlier to enable it to recognise you in future.
This can be your fingerprint, iris, face or voice.
Positive identification (also called authentication or verification) verifies the authenticity of the identity claimed.
For example, a person claims that he is Nelson Mandela to the authentication system and offers his fingerprint; the system then either agrees or disagrees with the claim by comparing what is in store and what has been presented.
This can eliminate the issue of “ghost” or “zombie” voters who try to use dead people’s identities to cast multiple votes, for example.
Biometrics can also be used for screening users, or for identification.
A user presents his/her biometrics, and a search on a database can match that user to his/her identity.
Screening applications can covertly and unobtrusively determine whether a person belongs to a “wanted” list.
This could be used where legal requirements prevent certain individuals from voting, or when an individual is on a wanted or “watch list” of the police department, which, of course, would have the individual biometrics stored alongside his/her identity details.
This can also answer the question on whether you are a registered voter or not, for example.
Zimbabwe is not being left behind as the use of biometrics is steadily emerging in banks, registration of passports and IDs, border control and, now, voter registration.
It is imperative that Zimbabwe continues to adopt biometric-enabled security systems to secure the public against terrorism, prevent illegal immigration, fraudulent/criminal activities and improve efficiency and convenience.
It can be used to automate a number of processes such as border access and banking processes.
A number of countries now have automated border gates (a camera takes the picture of your face, compares it with what is in your passport and opens the gate automatically if there is a match).
The intention to introduce biometrics in Zimbabwe for the 2018 elections has enhanced the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s credibility, and should be applauded as a step in the right direction.
Transparency in voter registration operations is essential for building trust in the integrity of the electoral process, and biometrics technology is now seen as the way forward in voter registration.
Zimbabwe is not re-inventing the wheel, but is following in the footsteps of other countries, including Ghana, Benin, Kenya, Tanzania, Togo, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, the DRC, Mozambique and Nigeria, among others, which have implemented this technology.
The United Nations, through the United Nations Development Programme, have embraced and supported the use of biometrics technology in a number of countries.
The introduction of biometrics presents an opportunity to improve transparency and credibility of elections in Zimbabwe.
With the advent of inexpensive biometric sensors and much improved computing power, it is becoming increasingly clear that the use of biometrics in voter registration and identification is viable and certainly the way forward in improving the democratic process of elections.
This is also a vital step in the process of using electronic voting, which can improve efficiency of the electoral process and reduce costs.
The technology is available and mature, and Zimbabwe’s existing infrastructure is capable of accommodating biometrics to improve the electoral process.
Fingerprinting systems have been in use for almost three decades.
In Zimbabwe, fingerprints and facial images have been captured for national ID purposes and passports at least since independence.
They have just not been used or processed in a computerised way.
Therefore, this is not an entirely new phenomenon.
In Biometrics Voter Registration, a voter’s details (name, date of birth, address, etc) are digitally captured and stored alongside their biometric features (face and fingerprints) on a computer.
The advantage of this system is that these biometric features can be used to uniquely identify an individual in a computerised way on voting day.
Additionally, there is in-built software to identify and eliminate duplicate voters/registrants; leading to a clean voters’ roll.
The deployment of personnel to collect BVR information is not different to that done to register people in the “old way”. Personnel will be trained and equipped with mobile voter registration kits.
These are portable devices designed to create electoral rolls and reusable equipment, and are extensible and resistant to adverse conditions.
The devices are self-contained, autonomous units supported by long-life batteries and can be used in remote areas for registration, even within homesteads.
Fixed biometric stations can be deployed at fixed centres within urban cores.
This is a beneficial aspect of employing this technology in the current scenario, given the state of the roads following the heavy rains.
In the end, what is compiled is a normal database or electoral register which includes biometrics information.
The second part of the process is voter verification or authentication, which happens on voting day.
This is whereby a person appears on voting day, presents an ID or provides a name.
The person’s biometrics (face and/or fingerprints) are then captured and compared to those in the computer database (biometric voters’ register).
Again, mobile biometric kits/stations are available to achieve this, enabling penetration of remote areas.
If there is a match, the person is verified, gets a ballot paper and continues to vote (manually) in the normal way!
The person’s details are then digitally marked as having voted and cannot be used for repeat voting (no need for ink).
This is not electronic or biometric voting, but manual voting as we are used to!
Zec has indicated that biometric verification would not be done (thus just creating Biometric Voter Register – or simply an electoral register which contains a person’s face and fingerprints which would not improve the voting process itself but provide a clean and credible voters’ roll).
Ghana has successfully used biometrics in elections for three consecutive cycles, setting a standard and model for other countries to follow.
It shows that the right biometric technology deployed in the right manner works.
In 2013, Kenya used biometrics in its elections, but had limited success as some of the equipment failed on polling day.
However, after taking lessons from this, Kenya has already carried out a biometric registration exercise for the upcoming August elections.
In 2007, the Mozambique Electoral Commission recognised the need to use technology to improve the electoral process.
A foreign and a local company partnered in the project, registering over 10 million people in a very short time, and a biometrics electoral register was created and has been used in subsequent elections.
These are just a handful of examples from a number of countries in Africa which have improved their electoral processes using biometrics technology.
The frequency at which ICT projects run late and over-budget makes it clear that Zimbabwe’s BVR project is at a high risk of failure if it’s not adequately planned.
As with any major technological project, the introduction of BVR, especially in the challenging Zimbabwean environment, must be done with full understanding and an overview of the requirements and risks involved.
It is hoped that Zec will be taking/has taken appropriate measures to mitigate any risks associated with the implementation of the proposed BVR process.
It is important to understand that the use of biometric technology will not solve all voter registration challenges.
For example, biometrics cannot detect the inclusion of foreign nationals (people from neighbouring countries) or the inclusion of underage voters on the voters’ roll.
By the same token, biometrics cannot assist in identifying and deleting deceased persons from the database (however, it can stop someone from claiming the identity of a deceased person).
Technology is only as good as the way it is deployed.
The integrity inherent in a voters’ roll depends, to a great extent, on the active participation of the population and on the professional work of trained registration staff.
Dr Samuel Chindaro is an electronics engineer, biometrics expert and researcher trained at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe; the University of Birmingham and the University of Kent in the United Kingdom. At Kent, he was the leader of a specialist research group on biometrics technology.
