UBOS yet to pay over 5,000 census officials over irregularities

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The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) says it is yet to pay over 5,000 officials who took part in the 2024 national census over irregularities in the payment details they provided.

It says out of the 115,846 enumerators deployed to conduct the 2024 national census exercise, 114,650 have been paid. 

UBOS head of media and public relations Betty Nawoova says: "At least 98.9% [enumerators] have so far been paid all their entitlements whereas 1,196 are yet to be paid".

Nawoova says the nonpayment is because of irregularities in their telephone and account number details, which they provided the bureau.

"The bureau has contacted districts leadership to ensure that the mismatches are addressed and get telephone numbers or bank accounts in their names. For those who lost census equipment (tablet, power bank and charger), the districts leadership have been requested to get their consent so that the money can be deducted from their entitlements,” she says.

▪️ 2024 census results to provide answers to 5 critical questions

Didacus Okoth (left) the principal public relations officer Uganda Bureau of Statictics interacts with the head of department media and public relations Betty Nawoova during a press conference at Uganda Media Centre on October 2, 2024. (Photo by Francis Emorut)

She adds that out of 117,844 guides who participated in the census enumeration, 114,106 (97%) have been paid whereas 3,738 have not been paid yet owing to a mismatch of details. 

“There were 14,643 enumeration supervisors of which 13,456 (92%) have been paid, 1,187 are yet to be paid pending correction of their details. Payments to be effected when their correct details have been obtained,” she said.

She adds that out of 5,113 sub-county supervisors, a total of 4,879 (94.4%) have been paid and only 234 are yet to be paid.

Nawoova's revelations made on October 2, 2024, in Kampala, came on the eve of the release of final 2024 census results in Kampala.

The event at the Kampala Serena Hotel is expected to be presided over by President Yoweri Museveni.

"The release of the results is in line with census roadmap and is also hinged on the promise which census commissioner Dr Chris Mukiza made at the launch of the preliminary results at the Kampala Serena Hotel on June 27, 2024," UBOS spokesperson Didacus Okoth said.

According to Okoth, the results will also capture the outcomes from the post-enumeration exercise which is a standard measure undertaken to authenticate the census outcomes.

Didacus Okoth the principal public relations officer of Uganda Bureau of Statistics speaking during a press conference at Uganda Media Centre on October 2, 2024. (Photo by Francis Emorut)

UBOS conducted the census exercise between May 10 and 25, 2024 under the theme: It Matters to be Counted.

Preliminary results indicate that Uganda’s population is at 45.9 million people after registering 11.3 million people increase in the last 10 years (2014-2024).

However, UBOS reported that the population growth rate had declined from 3% to 2.9% in the same period.

It added that 50.5% of the population were children from 0-17 age bracket, 22.7% were youth aged 18-30 and 5% were older persons aged 60 and above.

The population demographic revelation prompted experts to call for effective government planning and investment in the children wellbeing and empowerment for the future.

In addition, the result is expected to provide detailed answers to the five Census questions: 

1. How many are we? 
2. Where are we? 
3. How are we living? 
4. What we own? 
5. Where we access services from?"

A population census involves counting all persons within the territorial boundaries of a given stated time and the 2024 census captured all people who were found within in the boundaries of Uganda by May (Census night). The count captures both the numbers and the characteristics of the persons.