DATA OR DISMISSAL! Mukiza Gives 80 UBOS Recruits Final Warning as Nationwide Household Survey Kicks Off

KAMPALA – Expect a knock on your door! The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has unleashed 80 freshly trained field data collectors to fan out across the country for the 9th Uganda National Household Survey (UNHS) 2026/27.

The recruits completed a tough 15-day training before being commissioned for the massive exercise, which will run for 12 months and gather information from households nationwide.

To make the mission smoother, the officers have been split into 16 teams, each headed by a Field Supervisor. UBOS says the teams were carefully arranged according to language skills to ensure easy communication with families in different regions.

But before the teams hit the road, UBOS Executive Director Dr. Chris N. Mukiza fired a tough warning: keep people’s secrets, record the truth, and don’t tamper with the data.

“You must keep all information confidential. Do not disclose your data sources,” Dr. Mukiza warned, reminding the officers that the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Act, 1998 protects the confidentiality of every respondent.

He also cautioned them against altering information collected from households.

“Record the information exactly as it is given. Don’t change anything. The data you collect will guide government planning and improve the lives of Ugandans,” he stressed.

Dr. Mukiza didn’t stop there. He warned that any officer who performs poorly, breaks discipline, or manipulates data risks being shown the exit door and could be blacklisted from future UBOS surveys.

The nationwide survey will collect crucial information on education, health, housing, food security, employment, and household living conditions. The findings will help government measure poverty, monitor economic and social trends, and shape policies aimed at improving the welfare of Ugandans.

The exercise builds on the 8th Uganda National Household Survey, whose report was released in May 2025. UBOS says the new round will provide fresh and reliable statistics to support evidence-based planning, policy formulation, and national development.