UBOS boss assures MPs on country's readiness for census 2024

By Evans Najuna

KAMPALA – The Executive Director of Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Dr. Chris Mukiza has assured Members of Parliament on the committees of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Budget on the country’s readiness for 2024 National Housing Population Census (2024NHPC).

Dr. Mukiza and UBOS staff were on Tuesday interacting with members of these committees during a breakfast meeting at Serena Hotel in Kampala.

In his submission, Mukiza appreciated their endeavours and support they have rendered to the Bureau.

“I take the opportunity to first of all, welcome all of you to this breakfast engagement, and to thank you all for the support you accord to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics as we execute our mandate of producing quality statistics for the country and maintaining a coherent National Statistical System (NSS)”, Dr. Mukiza lauded.

He noted that Tuesday’s interaction was to share with them (Members of Parliament) the Bureau’s overview and mandate it has fulfilled in conducting periodical surveys, censuses, and producing statistical bulletins and reports as result.

According to Dr. Mukiza, Uganda will be carrying her 6th post-Independence National Population and Housing Census (NPHC) which is scheduled for May 2024. The enumeration exercise will run from 10-19th May country wide.

Uganda’s chief statistician further explained the course progress the Bureau has made while appealing to the legislators to continue the good job of being census champions and ambassadors at all levels including their constituencies.

“With respect to the Census 2024, it is historic and special in many ways for instance, aside from being the first ever digital census in Uganda, it is the immediate census we are carrying out after the COVID-9 pandemic that had ravaging effects on our economy,” the ED said.

In addition, the Bureau’s Executive Director noted that the country is in the middle of implementing a national broad-based development program of Parish Development Model (PDM) –a billed to transform every Ugandan into the money economy.

Thus the results of this census will therefore be crucial in determining how the country fixes the development bottlenecks and have them incorporated in our NDP IV to improve the welfare of every Ugandan.

“The good thing is that, being a digital census, the turnaround time for processing the results will be shorter than ever before.”

He promised to have the final results ready by the end of the year.

He noted that the Bureau has so far produced 2 reports this year; Uganda Health Demographic report and Livestock Census and Poverty status report will be produced in June this year.

The bureau produces weekly inflation numbers.

“We can only achieve this timeline by continuing to work with you to ensure that all the census activities are implemented to the dot but more important,” Mukiza said.

He challenged some the government MDAs for not fully utilizing their reports but only credits Bank of Uganda, Uganda, Police, Uganda Prisons who have been able to make it.

Conclusively, Dr. Mukiza further appealed to legislators to rally their fellows on public awareness for the forthcoming Census to be achieved under the Theme: ‘It matters to counted’.

In his closing remarks, Hon. Amos Kankunda, the Rwampara County MP who doubles as the Parliamentary Chairperson committee of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and on behalf of fellow members, applauded the work done by the Bureau.

He noted that as political leaders, they implore them to produce quality information that will help them to which is a matter to be counted and added that their work is very critical for the development of this Country. He on behalf of Parliament promised and pledged for more support and awareness.

Highlights

* A total of over 120,000 tablets have already arrived and currently in UBOS custody. These are with finger prints and will be used for future use as each Parish will remain with 2 pieces.

* Currently, these are being installed with provision of software, mapping, and questionnaires. Geo forensic maps are indicated on these maps.

* Questionnaires: Household questionnaires, Floating questionnaires, Institutional questionnaires especially for schools, Prisons, Barracks, Hospitals, universities among others. Here deeper will be for households.

* Last week, the Bureau completed regional training, Interview for enumerator supervisors and enumerators on 16th and 17th, training for enumerator supervisors and enumerators will be from 29th April to 7th May, 2days ready for the exercise up to 19th. There will be 6th days of mop ups for any household left. By June 2024, the Bureau shall have what they will have done.