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Big promises, Big failures

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What are biometrics? Anything that defines you as a unique individual (fingerprints, iris, face, DNA, behaviour…)

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Security technology rebranded as development tech around 2010

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Big push by multilateral institutions starting 2014-2015 (World Bank, UN) and main vendors coming from Europe/US

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Investigating biometric tech - helpful places to start:

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  • Map the contracts being awarded and follow specialized media such as BiometricUpdate to look for interesting case studies
  • Academic sources to develop good knowledge of technology
  • Source-building is KEY: Linkedin is a great tool. Using CRM tools like Lusha and Rocket Reach to scrap numbers and emails.
  • Try to see technology in action: vendor fairs, following an election process
  • Look for court documents and ongoing litigation

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What we uncovered

Exposing a flawed voter registration system in Mozambique

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Succession of multi-million dollar contracts for biometric voter registration equipment

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Sidat family, business and football tycoons linked to the ruling party Frelimo, working with South African tech vendor Laxton

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Voter registration technology critical to Felimo efforts to suppress and manipulate vote

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Biometric tech at the center of contested elections in 2024

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Mozambique: Fraudulent voter registration

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  • Using Linkedin to find sources inside the company (Laxton)
  • Speaking with former government officials involved in procurement process
  • Accessing internal communications and whatsapp chats
  • Online government website for tenders

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What we uncovered

Exposing a trails of phantom contracts for ID card in the DRC

No ID card in the DRC since the 1990s

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Money intended to build ID card system was used to build a shopping center in Lubumbashi

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Investigation also on current ID deal for $1.2bn with french vender Idemia.

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Contract cancelled three days after reporting came out.

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DRC: Billions spent and no ID card since the 90s

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  • Finding middle-men, intermediary as sources
  • Visiting vendor fairs(ID4Africa)
  • Money trails work
  • Court records
  • Accessing contracts through sourcework

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What we uncovered

Uganda: Surveillance state

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Sweeping surveillance state built in cooperation with China’s Huawei.

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Crackdown on critics accelerated since Uganda rolled out it’s ID Biometric system

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Thank you. We’ve uploaded a tipsheet on GIJN

Reach out at

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beatriz@lighthousereports.com

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Signal: BRS.28