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The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has requested an extension for the forthcoming National Housing and Population Census 2023. UBOS has completed most of the pre-census activities but requires more time to finalize the procurement process for tablets, which are essential for the enumeration exercise.

Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) a body mandated with the duty of providing and maintaining National statistical system has asked for more time to prepare for the forthcoming National Housing and Population Census 2023.

On addressing the press in Kampala at UBOS headquarters, Godfrey Nabongo the Deputy Executive Director of the Statistical body revealed that they have concluded most of the pre census activities but need some reasonable time to conclude the procurement process of tablets which are key items in the enumeration exercise.

“Funds for undertaking the census have been secured by UBOS from government (ministry of finance) and the remaining part is publicity, procurement, recruitment and training of census staff which is already under way.”

“A little work remains to be done and the question remains is that are we able to do the census in August. The key issue now is the procurement of tablets, and we are beginning to see the date of August not feasible.”

Nabongo says that they are currently working on the report which they are going to present to the Ministry of Finance and Cabinet to get be given new dates on which they will conduct the census.

“We can’t give the exact date for the census, but we are making proposals to government for the new date. We expect government to give us a position by next week, as of now we are working as before that we shall be having the census come August.”

Pre census activities

The Deputy Executive Director noted that they have already formed Census committees from district to national level.

Household, institutional and community questionnaires have been developed and the pretesting exercise have been concluded.

The census pilot has been conducted and data is being analysed.

Geo mapping of households and enumeration boundaries is at 62 percent completion rate.

Tablets

These are mobile devices, typically with a mobile operating system and touch screen display used for recording processing and storage of data.

Unlike the previous census exercises where UBOS was collecting data with the aid of pen and a paper which was abit tiresome, this year’s census will be the first technologically driven census.

“The use of these tablets may appear to be expensive but in actual sense its cheaper than the pen and paper exercise. Here we shall buy them once, use them on several occasions, employ limited number of people because information will be captured on tablets by the enumerators a d it will be fed directly into our savers in real time.”

The tablets have the Global Positioning System (GPS) which is described as a network of satellites and receiving devices used to determine the location of something on Earth. “It will be telling us the household the enumerator will be in.” Nabongo further added that this method will provide timely results compared to the pen and paper questionnaire method.

Background

Every 10 years, a census counts the entire population and housing stock of a given country and collects information on its main characteristics (geographic, demographic, social and economic, plus household and family Characteristics)

National Housing and Population Census is conducted every 10 years to count the entire population, housing stock of a given country and collects information on its main characteristics (geographic, demographic, social and plus house household and family characteristics.

Earlier on in 2022, the government had fixed Uganda’s census to be conducted out a year before ten years on 24th and 25th August 2023 as the date for the National population and housing census.

The total population of Uganda from the 2014 (National Housing and population census) was 34.6 million, Females were 51 percent of the population, Children below 18 years were 55 percent, fertility was 5.8 per woman, infant mortality 53 deaths per 1000 live births, Literacy rate 72 percent and 12.5 percent of primary school children not going to school.

This year’s population census is expected to employ over 110,000 enumerators and 10,900 Parish supervisors and IT experts.