The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has warned individuals spreading false information about the National Population and Housing Census 2024.
The Bureau recently released preliminary findings at an event officiated by President Museveni at Serena hotel in Kampala.
According to the Bureau, a group of saboteurs has been disguising as Enumerators while others fuelled some few Enumerators to cause havoc by claiming that they have not been paid for their services during Census enumeration.
Dr. Chris Mukiza, the Executive Director and Census Commissioner, says upon verification, it was confirmed that most of them were in the category of those already paid.
Available information indicates that this group have been approaching social media influencers to use their platforms in a smear campaign intended to damage the reputation of some individuals who worked tirelessly during the Census exercise.
This is not the first time such wrong elements have come up with mischievous information about the Bureau aimed at damaging the reputation of a National Statistics Office and undermine the credibility of statistical products.
Before and through the census exercise, UBOS continuously made it clear that all Enumerators would be paid through their mobile telephone numbers registered in their names or their bank accounts.
In addition, the Enumerator should have returned the tablet, power bank and the charger which were provided for enumeration exercise, and has been cleared by the Chief Administrative Officer, City or Division Clerk.
“It is to our interest that every Enumerator is paid,” noted Dr. Mukiza.
According to latest information, a total of 110,932 Enumerators have already been paid against 130,391 who participated in the enumeration exercise.
“The remaining participants have had challenges related to mismatches in their mobile telephone numbers and names, or had issues related to the loss of an equipment used during Census enumeration. However, these are being handled cases by case. And once they are cleared by their respective Local Governments, their payment will be handled immediately,” Dr. Mukiza emphasized.
The Bureau is now in the final stages to conduct the Post Enumeration Survey (PES), whose training has already started with about 1,000 Enumerators undergoing the training sessions.
The Post-Enumeration Survey will be conducted in all 146 districts and Cities.
The Leaders and Households in the sampled Enumeration Areas are called upon to cooperate with the Field Staff to ensure accurate capture of the information.
PES is an independent exercise aimed at checking the quality of Census results in terms coverage and content. PES is one of the fundamental activities that guarantees the quality of a National Population and Housing Census results.
