As Uganda prepares for its National Population and Housing Census scheduled for May 10th, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has issued a warning to the public regarding potential scammers who may exploit the census for fraudulent purposes.
Didacus Okoth, the Senior Public Relations Officer for UBOS, addressed the media today April 29, 2024, and urged residents to remain vigilant during the census period. He emphasized the importance of reporting any unrecognizable individuals who claim to be UBOS staff but fail to present proper identification.
“Be aware that no census enumerator will visit your home at night. Criminals may attempt to pose as census staff, but UBOS employees will always carry clear identity cards displaying their names,” Okoth stated.
While emphasizing the significance of public participation in the census, Okoth highlighted that the data collected during this process plays a critical role in planning and policy development that affects all Ugandans. He further explained that census data helps allocate funds to essential sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and roads.
To ensure accurate data collection, Okoth advised households to have a representative present who is familiar with the information of all individuals residing in the home. In cases where the household head is absent, it is strongly recommended to assign someone to oversee the enumeration process. UBOS encourages the public to cooperate with the field teams dispatched to collect data from households.
The 2024 National Census is set to begin on Friday, May 10th, which has been declared a public holiday to facilitate the enumeration process. Ugandans are expected to respond promptly and truthfully to the enumerators’ questions to ensure an accurate reflection of the nation’s population.
UBOS has assured the public that all necessary measures and materials have been put in place to guarantee a transparent and credible census. On April 27, 2024, UBOS dispatched over 150,000 tablets to the different parishes across the country. Additionally, UBOS has also recruited 114,460 enumerators and 18,483 supervisors and is set to kick off the final training of the enumerators and supervisors, which will end on May 7th, just two days before the census.
