UBOS Donates 4,050 Census Tablets to Strengthen Data Systems in Religious, Cultural and Gov’t Institutions

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has donated 4,050 census tablets and six computers to selected religious, cultural and government institutions in a move aimed at strengthening institutional capacity and improving the quality of administrative data production across the country.

The donation, made under UBOS’ post-census utilisation strategy, targets institutions within the National Statistical System (NSS) and is intended to support improved data collection, management and reporting.

The beneficiary institutions include the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), the National Planning Authority (NPA), the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), the Presidential CEO Forum (PCF), and cultural institutions, including Bugisu Kingdom, Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, and the Rwenzururu Kingdom.

The tablets and computers were previously used during the National Population and Housing Census (NPHC) 2024 and are now being reallocated for continued use.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, UBOS Executive Director Dr Chris N. Mukiza said the initiative reflects UBOS’s continued commitment to strengthening the National Statistical System through partnerships that promote the production and use of quality administrative data for national development.

“All members here are part of the National Statistical System,” Dr Mukiza said. “You are key users of statistics, key producers of statistics, whether organised or disorganised, and you are also policymakers. Our role is to coordinate this system and ensure it remains vibrant and produces high-quality data that makes a difference to mankind.”

Dr Mukiza noted that the devices remain in good condition and were procured using government resources with the intention that they would continue to serve the country beyond the census exercise.

“These tablets were procured using government resources, and we committed that they would continue being used beyond the Census,” he said. “I can confirm they are still in very good and usable condition.”

He urged recipient institutions to deploy the devices primarily for statutory and administrative purposes to strengthen data collection, analysis, dissemination and evidence-based decision-making.

UBOS said the redistribution of the equipment is part of a carefully implemented strategy aimed at improving operational efficiency and strengthening administrative data systems across institutions that form part of the NSS.

Representing the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, Dr Joseph Serwadda welcomed the donation, describing it as timely and long overdue.

He said the IRCU, which brings together seven faith groups, including the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Born Again Faith Churches, Pentecostal and Evangelical Churches, the Muslim faith, the Orthodox Church, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, had already established a statistics unit to coordinate data collection even before receiving the devices.

“The IRCU had already established a Statistics Unit and Committee to coordinate data collection from all member organisations even before receiving this support,” Dr Serwadda said, adding that the tablets will further strengthen the Council’s capacity to generate credible administrative data.

He pledged that the Council would use the tablets responsibly to support evidence-based planning and contribute meaningfully to national development across sectors.

“We promise to use them purposefully and make you proud,” Dr Serwadda said. “At the next Census, we shall provide statistics you can simply copy and paste.”

He added that the IRCU intends to use the devices to collect and generate data in critical sectors, including health, education, tourism, livelihoods, climate action, prisons and hospitals.

UBOS said the donation is part of broader efforts to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders and ensure the production of reliable data to support planning, service delivery and policy formulation at both national and institutional levels.