The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) will set up a Statistics Unit in Tooro Kingdom, according to the Executive Director, Dr Chris Mukiza.
Dr Mukiza made the revelation on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, after meeting with Tooro Kingdom officials at Mucwa, Tooro Kingdom’s Parliament in Fort Portal city.
“The Prime Minister and his officials have agreed to set up a Statistics Unit that will be in charge of the information that we are going to collect during the census and administrative data within the kingdom,” Dr Mukiza told the press after the meeting.
Tooro embraces census
During the meeting, Dr Mukiza briefed the officials led by Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister, Steven Kiyingi Frankstone, that their kingdom has a vast area and a big population with diverse cultures.
“So, you are the right people to help communicate to the public about the census. Statistics from the census is very important because it helps you the kingdom to plan for your people very well,” he noted.
He added: “And we only have one chance to have all the necessary information. We have come here to rally your support.”
He lauded Tooro Kingdom for using the statistics produced by UBOS via household surveys to plan its activities and interventions.
“Our efforts are not in vain. We need to interpret statistics for the kingdom to cause social economic change,” he stated.
He went on: “Now I want to request that we enter a partnership with the kingdom to establish a statistics unit in this kingdom that will be harvesting much of the administrative data. We do a lot of work.”
He said whenever the king is doing interventions, the statistics being generated on a daily basis will be of a big help.
He said after setting up the Statistics Unit, they would try to modernise it and see how to equip that unit both with manpower and one or two computers that can organise the unit.
“I think this will go a long way into increasing utilisation of the statistics that we are going to generate from census and other consequent surveys and so modernise the administrative data. And if that request is accepted, after the census, we shall send here a team that can work with your technical people to establish this.”
He added: “We did this with Buganda and have just finished with Bunyoro kingdom, so, Tooro should not be left behind. So, I need the kingdom nearest to me to have a strong and robust Statistics Unit.”
Stunted growth
In his speech, Tooro Premier Kiyingi assured Dr Mukiza that so far there has been no case of corruption during the pre-census exercise in Kabarole district, especially the recruitment of census supervisors and enumerators.
“Feel comfortable that you are dealing with people that are very committed to the trajectory of our work in the kingdom,” he noted.
He congratulated Dr Mukiza for modernizing the census exercise. “Because of the tablets, people will be able to access census information much faster than before,” said Kiyingi.
He said Tooro King, His Majesty Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, is very engaged within his kingdom on issues affecting his people and has been working tirelessly to achieve other activities that benefit his people. “It is for this reason that UBOS is very critical in attaining the demographic dividend of the country.”
He, however, revealed that Tooro suffers from a problem of stunting.
“I think we may be the leading district in stunting in the country in spite of Tooro having the most fertile soils in the country. That’s why we hope the UBOS questionnaire will include the type of gardens that people have.”
Highest HIV prevalence
According to Kiyingi, Fort Portal City is today infamous for having the highest prevalence of HIV infections.
“At nearly 18%, it has overtaken Kalangala islands as the one with the highest prevalence previously,” he revealed.
He attributed this to homestead incomes, nutrition and the boda boda craze where people sell their land to buy motorcycles.
“They use the money they make to lure girls into sexual activities becoming part of the reason why there is high HIV prevalence.”
According to him, His Majesty King Oyo is committed to the HIV/AIDS fight being the HIV/AIDS ambassador in Sub-Saharan Africa. “He has made it part and parcel of the kingdom calendar.”
Kiyingi said Tooro also has high cases of high school dropouts, especially of the girl-child mainly having started during the covid-19 pandemic.
“By providing accurate statistics, UBOS will aid in providing solutions to these negative demographics.”
He said the Tooro Kingdom administration under his leadership is ready to address these issues at the grassroots if government institutions join them.
“These officials have touch with the population. We refer to the Tooro Kingdom as the Pearl of Uganda. We have a lot of wonders in this kingdom; it is a land endowed with beauty and hospitable people.”
