Prime Minister Sets Up 2023 National Census Council  

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has put in place the National Census Council to provide political oversight and advocacy of the national census 2023.

“The governance structures will ensure work goes according to plan and resources are put to proper utilization for the purpose they are meant for,” said Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Executive Director, Dr Chris Mukiza. 

The Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, will comprise Ministers of Finance, Local Government, Defense, Gender, ICT, Education and Sports, Health, Lands and Housing, Planning and the UBOS Chairman board of Directors and the Executive Director.

Mukiza said the government has already formed all relevant committees from the national census council to the lowest local council unit.

Below the National census council is the National Census Steering Committee chaired by the Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary with membership of various Permanent Secretaries, representatives from development partners and the chairperson of National Planning Authority.

The main responsibility of the National Census Steering Committee is resource mobilization and strategic guidance. 

Other census committees will provide oversight and guidance at the UBOS board and management level while at the sub-national level, district and local authorities will be tasked with ensuring the census is conducted smoothly in their respective areas.
 
Mukiza will serve as the census commissioner or administrator of the national exercise.
The Cabinet recently passed a budget of Shs 339bn for the national census.

At least Shs 160.6bn will cater for the pre-census activities such as mapping, instrument development, mass sensitisation, recruitment of human resources among others. “The counting of all Ugandans is starting on the 25th of August 2023,” said Mukiza.

“This follows the reservation of the Census Night by the Cabinet  as being the night of 24th/25th August 2023,” he added.

Mukiza also disclosed that this will be the first time Uganda is using digital products to bring innovation to census and statistical operations. 

“We are going to use tablets to collect data during the census. This will eliminate paperwork and improve the quality of data and analysis,” said Mukiza.

He said UBOS will maintain the Census local government level structure to improve and strengthen administrative data especially with the use of tablets that shall have been procured as part of the statistical infrastructure.

However, it is understood that UBOS is grappling with internal fights.

Officials who were kicked out of UBOS or suspended from duty after an investigation by the Auditor General pinned them in acts of corruption have been fighting to have their way back. 

Mukiza said UBOS “is now focused on delivering the national census.”