The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has revealed that at least 90 census enumerators were illegally recruited in Kagadi district.
Dr Chris Mukiza, UBOS Executive Director and Census Commissioner confirmed this development while addressing the press at Mucwa, Tooro Kingdom’s Parliament in Fort Portal City on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
While flagging off census materials at the UBOS Ntinda warehouse last Saturday, Dr Mukiza said he had received complaints from applicants regarding malpractice during the recruitment of census enumerators.
“I have been receiving allegations of fraud in the recruitment of the Census enumerators and these concerns were noted. I commissioned an investigation across the districts with security and culprits will be apprehended,” he said.
Dr Mukiza said they are currently carrying out an investigation into reports of malpractice regarding the recruitment of census enumerators and that culprits will be brought to book.
“The only worry we are having is on recruitment malpractices of local governments. You remember two weeks ago in Munyonyo, we used a statement where those who were shortlisted were not being called for interviews. We did a review,” he said.
He added: “Now the interesting allegations that are coming say that those who did interviews are not appearing but those who did not do interviews are being recruited. So, I commissioned the security forces to investigate throughout the districts and now we are getting the culprits. We have asked the Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and Town Clerks to ensure that those who are on the lists wrongfully must be removed and put in those who qualified.”
In the case of Kagadi district, people who never sat for interviews or were never shortlisted, allegedly paid money to be put on the final list of successful candidates and those who did interviews and passed were removed.
“There are some districts where the administrations have taken action. One of the districts was Kagadi where they found 90 people who never sat for interviews on the list of final candidates. The administration intervened and has handled those cases,” Dr Mukiza said.
“We are also getting complaints from Kanungu, eastern region but we have not heard any single complaint in Tooro Kingdom. However, there are some areas in Bundibugyo where the whole sub-county experienced that malpractice. It has not started training supervisors and enumerators but the officials have started investigations.”
Dr Mukiza pledged to use whatever means available to ensure that census data is sent on time despite Internet disruption in some areas.
