Shem Oirere, Africa Correspondent09.21.18
Despite the raging debate on the environmental impact and safety of indelible ink or electoral ink or stain, there appears to be growing interest from electoral management agencies in Africa on the use of the product in the process of national voting.
The semi-permanent ink or dye, made of several components such as silver nitrate, has continued to play a key role in the realization of a transparent electoral process and strengthening of democracy in emerging countries, especially in the continent where a new wave of constitutional amendments in many countries has ushered in periodic presidential, national assembly, municipal, local and referendum voting that requires use of a special mark or voters’ ink to deter electoral fraud.
Across Africa and other emerging democracies, the ink comes either in 5ml marker pens or dipping bottles of up to 100ml packaged according to the preference of the ordering electoral management body.
During the recent national elections in Kenya, the country’s electoral management agency, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ordered 5ml branded indelible marker pens for use in identifying those who cast their vote.
Although it is not easy to determine the market size for indelible ink in Africa because of the manner in which the product is procured by government electoral agencies, an estimated 121 million voters registered to vote in 11 countries between 2017 and early 2018 and in almost all of them, the respective electoral commissions used the ink to identify those who cast their ballot and prevent fraudulent and double voting.
Leading Indian indelible ink maker Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited (MPVL) estimates that a bottle of 5ml of indelible ink can be applied on the fingernails or fingers of about 300 voters. If this estimation can be applied to the 11 African countries that carried out elections at various levels, the 120 million voters would require 2,000 liters of indelible ink.
However, other reports have previously indicated that a 5ml indelible ink marker pen can mark up to 600 voters while a 100ml dipping bottle can mark up to 1000 voters.
Although no exact figures are available on how much indelible ink was used in the 11 countries of Lesotho, Algeria, Congo Brazzaville, Senegal, Kenya, Angola, Egypt, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and Egypt, which held elections between 2017 and early this year, it is estimated the amount of the ink is likely to have increased compared to previous elections because each of these countries reported an increase in the number of voters. For example, registered voters in Kenya and Rwanda increased by 5.2 million and 1.4 million respectively during last year’s elections compared to the previous elections.
Danish firm Copenhagen Election A/S, a unit of Copenhagen Group A/S, which focuses on the provision of electoral materials to international organizations and election commissions worldwide, says for 2017 and 2018 the company expects to improve on its revenues as it “seeks comfort in the number of larger elections predominantly in Africa.”
The company, which also has offices in Kuwait, announced a strategy in 2016 that targets direct marketing of the indelible ink and other election materials to national election commissions worldwide, including Africa.
MPVL has also been associated with the supply of electoral ink to electoral management bodies in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Togo and Sierra Leone, among other African countries.
There could be market opportunities for indelible ink and other voting material suppliers in Africa but the procurement for these products can at times lack transparency and the process tilted in a manner likely to benefit local and international companies that have connections to government officials who at times award the tenders through single sourcing.
Nevertheless, a few companies have competed and won tenders for the supply of voters’ ink or indelible marker pens across Africa. Ugandan-based Arnold Brooklyn & Co Ltd., for example, was contracted by the Uganda Electoral Commission to supply indelible ink for the country’s presidential election.
Elsewhere, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other foreign-backed development agencies have often offered to supply indelible ink for the polls.
Increasing concerns on the impact of the silver nitrate on the health of people and persisting challenge of disposing the ink bottles with their silver traces have led to specific requirements to address these two problems.
For example, in Kenya, the IEBC, which conducted one of the biggest elections in 2017 comprising of presidential, senate, national assembly, women representatives, governors and members of the country assembly, said the branded indelible marker pens used to identify those who had voted must use ink based on the dyes and which “shall not irritate the skin.”
IEBC said the indelible marker pens must utilize ink that “does not contain poisonous ingredients in a quantity that is toxic to humans.” The ink should meet national safety standards such as being free from benzene, chlorinated compounds, aniline oils and any other noxious or toxic material.
The violet color that turns black or purple when dry, the Commission said, “should not corrode or develop defects during the normal service or storage.”
“The ink should dry completely within 30 seconds and the marking made on the skin when exposed to normal daily human activities shall be retained for a minimum of 72 hours,” said IEBC.
With more national elections slotted for next few years by many African countries, including constitutional amendment referendums, the consumption of indelible ink as a solution to preventing fraudulent and multiple voting is likely to grow.
The semi-permanent ink or dye, made of several components such as silver nitrate, has continued to play a key role in the realization of a transparent electoral process and strengthening of democracy in emerging countries, especially in the continent where a new wave of constitutional amendments in many countries has ushered in periodic presidential, national assembly, municipal, local and referendum voting that requires use of a special mark or voters’ ink to deter electoral fraud.
Across Africa and other emerging democracies, the ink comes either in 5ml marker pens or dipping bottles of up to 100ml packaged according to the preference of the ordering electoral management body.
During the recent national elections in Kenya, the country’s electoral management agency, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ordered 5ml branded indelible marker pens for use in identifying those who cast their vote.
Although it is not easy to determine the market size for indelible ink in Africa because of the manner in which the product is procured by government electoral agencies, an estimated 121 million voters registered to vote in 11 countries between 2017 and early 2018 and in almost all of them, the respective electoral commissions used the ink to identify those who cast their ballot and prevent fraudulent and double voting.
Leading Indian indelible ink maker Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited (MPVL) estimates that a bottle of 5ml of indelible ink can be applied on the fingernails or fingers of about 300 voters. If this estimation can be applied to the 11 African countries that carried out elections at various levels, the 120 million voters would require 2,000 liters of indelible ink.
However, other reports have previously indicated that a 5ml indelible ink marker pen can mark up to 600 voters while a 100ml dipping bottle can mark up to 1000 voters.
Although no exact figures are available on how much indelible ink was used in the 11 countries of Lesotho, Algeria, Congo Brazzaville, Senegal, Kenya, Angola, Egypt, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and Egypt, which held elections between 2017 and early this year, it is estimated the amount of the ink is likely to have increased compared to previous elections because each of these countries reported an increase in the number of voters. For example, registered voters in Kenya and Rwanda increased by 5.2 million and 1.4 million respectively during last year’s elections compared to the previous elections.
Danish firm Copenhagen Election A/S, a unit of Copenhagen Group A/S, which focuses on the provision of electoral materials to international organizations and election commissions worldwide, says for 2017 and 2018 the company expects to improve on its revenues as it “seeks comfort in the number of larger elections predominantly in Africa.”
The company, which also has offices in Kuwait, announced a strategy in 2016 that targets direct marketing of the indelible ink and other election materials to national election commissions worldwide, including Africa.
MPVL has also been associated with the supply of electoral ink to electoral management bodies in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Togo and Sierra Leone, among other African countries.
There could be market opportunities for indelible ink and other voting material suppliers in Africa but the procurement for these products can at times lack transparency and the process tilted in a manner likely to benefit local and international companies that have connections to government officials who at times award the tenders through single sourcing.
Nevertheless, a few companies have competed and won tenders for the supply of voters’ ink or indelible marker pens across Africa. Ugandan-based Arnold Brooklyn & Co Ltd., for example, was contracted by the Uganda Electoral Commission to supply indelible ink for the country’s presidential election.
Elsewhere, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other foreign-backed development agencies have often offered to supply indelible ink for the polls.
Increasing concerns on the impact of the silver nitrate on the health of people and persisting challenge of disposing the ink bottles with their silver traces have led to specific requirements to address these two problems.
For example, in Kenya, the IEBC, which conducted one of the biggest elections in 2017 comprising of presidential, senate, national assembly, women representatives, governors and members of the country assembly, said the branded indelible marker pens used to identify those who had voted must use ink based on the dyes and which “shall not irritate the skin.”
IEBC said the indelible marker pens must utilize ink that “does not contain poisonous ingredients in a quantity that is toxic to humans.” The ink should meet national safety standards such as being free from benzene, chlorinated compounds, aniline oils and any other noxious or toxic material.
The violet color that turns black or purple when dry, the Commission said, “should not corrode or develop defects during the normal service or storage.”
“The ink should dry completely within 30 seconds and the marking made on the skin when exposed to normal daily human activities shall be retained for a minimum of 72 hours,” said IEBC.
With more national elections slotted for next few years by many African countries, including constitutional amendment referendums, the consumption of indelible ink as a solution to preventing fraudulent and multiple voting is likely to grow.