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In preparation for the upcoming 2024 Uganda Census conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the Police will be conducting security probes to safeguard the officials tasked with carrying out door-to-door activities.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga says a security team has been briefed and will be deployed across the country to ensure the safety of census officials during their data collection efforts.

Enanga emphasized the importance of public participation in the census, which is scheduled to commence in May 2024.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga. (file)

He highlighted that the census, conducted every 10 years as mandated by the Constitution, plays a crucial role in policy-making and planning for the next decade.

Every household in the country will be asked to respond to a short series of questions aimed at obtaining a complete and accurate count of the population, including both citizens and non-citizens residing in Uganda.

Enanga reiterated that participation in the census is mandatory to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of the data collected.

Security concerns

The Police's assurance comes on the heels of allegations that government officials and soldiers around Kampala city and Wakiso district were releasing dogs on UBOS officials.

The Government said these were negative efforts by some households to undermine the 2024 national population census agenda.

Presiding over the start of a nine-day induction of census trainers from all over the country at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala on Thursday (April 5, 2024), UBOS executive director Chris Mukiza condemned the releasing of dogs to pre-census enumerators yet they are not criminals.

Mukiza confirmed to the officials that at least two of his officials were bitten by dogs released on them in Wakiso.

“In Wakiso, two ‘listers/enumerators have already been bitten by dogs. These incidents I'm told are happening in the homes of big people who include ministers, and army officers. The security of enumerators should be guaranteed to achieve accurate data that will help the Government’s effective planning efforts,” Mukiza said.