Uniprint Pulls Off the Impossible for the Tanzanian Election

Categorised in: Blog

Uniprint’s Tanzanian election campaign is a story of guts, perseverance and determination. The Uniprint team had to overcome near impossible odds to ensure that the recent Tanzanian elections were free and fair.

A mere six weeks was all the team was afforded to put together a fully functional election. However, pressure intensified on the team when the deadline was shortened to four weeks.

The tender included materials for the presidential, parliamentary, local ward elections and result sheets. In addition, Uniprint manufactured sample ballot papers for staff training and tactile ballot papers for the visually impaired. The result was an astounding 28 000 000 ballot papers equalling 700 tonnes of security grade paper!

Each ballot paper was created by Uniprint. This meant preparing 18000 photographs for candidates contesting for 4500 parliamentary seats into 270 different kinds of ballot books.

The logistical side of the project presented the team with another daunting challenge. Tanzania is divided into six election zones with a total of 70 000 election stations. Each ballot book had to be individually barcoded and boxed correctly using specialised software to ensure that it reached the right station.

Delivery also posed major challenges for the team. Uniprint hired seven Ethiopian Airways Boeing 777 cargo planes which were specially palletised to carry the load to Tanzania.

Uniprint CEO, Bharat Mehta, said, “The commitment from the employees at all levels was nothing short of miraculous”. The CEO went on to state that, “At the end of the project there were zero complaints and plenty of congratulations from the Tanzanian authorities as all printed materials were delivered on time and in full”.

This project is yet another example of Uniprint’s willingness to go the extra-mile to provide a superior level of customer service.

Ready to experience our commitment to excellence? Contact us now to learn how Uniprint Global can assist with your printing needs.

FAQs and Answers

1. What was Uniprint’s role in the Tanzanian election?

Uniprint was responsible for printing and delivering all critical election materials for the Tanzanian election, including presidential, parliamentary, and local ward ballot papers, result sheets, training samples, and tactile ballots for visually impaired voters.

2. How many ballot papers did Uniprint print for the Tanzanian election?

Uniprint printed an extraordinary 28 million ballot papers, using approximately 700 tonnes of security grade paper to ensure the election process was secure and reliable.

3. How long did Uniprint have to complete the election project?

Initially, Uniprint had six weeks to complete the project, but the timeline was reduced to just four weeks, making the task even more challenging.

4. Why was the Tanzanian election printing project considered difficult?

The project was highly complex due to tight deadlines, massive printing volumes, strict security requirements, and complicated logistics involving 70,000 election stations across six zones in Tanzania.

5. How did Uniprint manage ballot paper accuracy?

Each ballot book was individually barcoded and organised using specialised software to ensure every ballot paper reached the correct election station without errors.

6. How many candidate images were processed for the election?

Uniprint processed around 18,000 candidate photographs for individuals contesting 4,500 parliamentary seats, which were organised into 270 different ballot book types.

7. How were the election materials delivered to Tanzania?

Uniprint hired seven Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 777 cargo planes, specially palletised to transport the large volume of printed election materials safely and on schedule.

8. Was the Tanzanian election project successful?

Yes, the project was highly successful. According to Uniprint CEO Bharat Mehta, the project received zero complaints and earned praise from Tanzanian authorities because all materials were delivered on time and in full.