As the country prepares for the national population census 2024, a total of 875 enumerators for Mbarara City on Thursday (May 09) took the oath of secrecy to bar them from realizing any private information without any authorization from the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics.

The ceremony was conducted at Ntare school main hall and was presided over by Lwanga Nsibambi, the Principal Magistrate for Mbarara City magistrate court. 

A total number of 110 supervisors for wards and 30 supervisors for the two divisions of Mbarara City South and North also took the oath.

Nsimbabi reminded the enumerators and supervisors the impact of the oath they took, that if not conducted well, “It can land them to face the wrath of the law.”

Lwanga Nsibambi, the principal magistrate for Mbarara City Municipal Court taking enumerators through the exercise of taking oath at Ntare school main hall.

“You can imagine someone’s woman coming to ask you, “How many children did my husband tell?” a person can offer you a lot of money to release such information, so don’t take this oath as a mere procedure but a legally binding procedure,” Said Nsibambi.

Patrick Kanamugira, the Mbarara City census officer confirmed that they are set to conduct the exercise as they get all the material ready by tonight.

Kanamugira asked all enumerators to exhibit a high level of discipline while conducting the exercise.

“We have trained them well and equipped them with the necessary knowledge on how best they can assist the government to collect data. We expect them to be disciplined, even when they feel like burning out, they should not leave any household uncounted,” said Kanamugira.

Edbert Oyesiga, the Director of Internal Auditor at Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), said, “It will be doing government a disservice any of you to leave some of the households uncounted, as this can cause a negative impact on the services offered in the country”

The national population census 2024 is starting on May 10, 2024 up to May19,2024