___________________
 UGANDA CENSUS 

Uganda's National Population and Housing Census 2024 is under way, having kicked off with the census night (May 9) being the reference night.

In Mukono district, enumerators camped at the Kisowera village chairperson's office in Nama sub-county try out their gadgets for the exercise

Typically, the pre-census exercise (census night) is designed to allow statisticians to capture a snapshot of a country’s population at a specific point in time ahead of the main event.

This snapshot provides valuable insights into the country’s demographics, needs, and trends.

This is the 11th census conducted in Uganda since the first one that was done in 1948. It will be the sixth census during the post-independence period.

In the 1969 census, Uganda had 9.5 million people, increasing to 34.8 million in the 2014 census. Estimates released last December put Uganda’s population at 46 million.

Silus Emunyu, the district IT officer of Serere, speaking to the enumerators whose iPads had failed to work in Olio sub-county

Enumerator Charles Otim locating network on his iPad as he prepares to handle fisheries state minister Hellen Adoa

His Grace Lambert Beinmugisha, the Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese, being interviewed by enumerators at his home at Nyamitanga Cathedral in Mbarara city

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the census night was being emphasised because world over, censuses are carried out during a specific period.

The night would, therefore, be the reference point to which all questions that are related to the census would refer.

For example, if a man has two homes, he will be captured based on the home where he spent the census night.

This will allow the Government to capture a snapshot of Uganda’s population at a specific point in time.

This snapshot will provide valuable insights into the country’s demographics, needs, and trends.

Dr Chris Mukiza, the executive director of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), said that due to the difficulty of enforcement, the census night has been taken to include an entire period of darkness starting Thursday.

'No national ID required'

As a result, the Government last night rolled out a number of measures in light of the enforcement of the census night.

Among the people that were affected were all travellers, including truck and bus drivers.

Finance state minister for planning Amos Lugoloobi on Wednesday this week said these would be counted beginning Thursday night.

This would be done on all major roads and that census officials would mount roadblocks so as to get information from travellers.

Lugoloobi said those who would be counted would receive special cards to certify their participation in the national census.

The minister said this being the first digital census, it would take a shorter time than before to get outcomes of the census since data transmission is instant.

“The census will seek to understand one key question: how many are we, where are we located and where we access services from,” Lugoloobi said, adding that all people, both Ugandans and immigrants, will be counted.

“You are not required to have your national ID to be counted.

"We advise people to remain at home so our enumerators can reach them. The first enumeration day (May 10) is a public holiday and, fortunately, the subsequent days — Saturday and Sunday — are weekends, so we urge everybody to ensure they take part in the exercise.”

Polygamous couples

According to UBOS publicist Didacus Okoth, even when a man has two homes, he will be captured based on the home where he spent the census night. 

“We are asking people to be conscious of where they want to be captured," he said.

"If someone wants to go to the village, they should not hesitate to go because they will be captured where they will have spent the night of May 9."

Principal household

Minister Lugoloobi said they expect the head of the household to be the main respondent or any knowledgeable member of the household to stay behind and provide the information.

“Where they are not there, our advice for them is to leave their telephone numbers so our people can reach them,” he said.

He said all the information collected will be kept confidential since it will be disaggregated and will not be based on individuals so as to avoid the leaking of personal information.

Lugoloobi said that in order for the Government to collect specific information, especially about the country’s fertility rate, some questions will be reserved for only females. These, however, must be over the age of 12.

He said while the law gives them (as government) a right to go after those people who fail to co-operate and can prosecute persons who give inaccurate information, every effort is being made to ensure Ugandans give information without coercion.

Schools, barracks

The minister also clarified the format of counting people in institutions such as barracks, schools and hospitals.

This category will be counted using the institutional questionnaire. Specifically, barracks will have special enumerators who are members of the security forces.

According to Lugoloobi, over 100,000 personnel have been trained to carry out the census in barracks and other security installations on behalf of UBOS.

“So, there is nowhere we shall not reach during this census."

The special questionnaire for schools, universities and other educational institutions is intended to cover individuals who may be still at school following the recent guidance by the education ministry providing a three-day break.

Hotels, lodges, bars

According to UBOS, hotels and lodges will also receive institutional questionnaires — just like schools and hospitals — to record the number of people who will have spent the census night on their premises.

Although bar patrons are expected to return home after merrymaking, bar attendants will be treated as people on night duty like doctors and other categories such as night guards.

“Bar attendants, just like nurses, doctors and others who might work at night, will not be enumerated in bars or workplaces. When the enumerator comes, they will ask: 'Who else stays in this household but was on night duty on May 9 (the census night)',” explained UBOS deputy spokesperson Nancy Akullo.

Lugoloobi said the maximum amount of time each enumerator will spend in each household will be 45 minutes.

However, the enumerator may take less time in some households because not all questions may be relevant to all the households.

Floating population

For the category of people who may not have a permanent place of abode such as street children and fishermen, counting would take place on census night.

The census will run for 10 days — from Friday (May 10) until May 19. At least 114,460 enumerators and 18,483 supervisors are expected to participate in the exercise whose cost has been placed at sh350b.

The enumerators will earn sh500,000 for the 10 days while the supervisors will get sh600,000 - sh650,000.

Uganda Bureau of Statistics procured over 120,000 tablet computers for use during the country’s first digital census.