The government of Uganda has declared Friday, May 10, 2024, as a public holiday in preparation for the commencement of the sixth National Housing and Population Census.
This decision aims to facilitate the full participation of citizens in the census, which is scheduled to span ten days, running from May 10 to May 19.
Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, conveyed this announcement in a letter dated May 7, 2024, addressed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communication, Technology, and National Guidance. In her letter, she emphasized the importance of ensuring widespread awareness by disseminating the information through all media platforms.
“The Honorable Minister of Public Service informs the general public that Friday, May 10, 2024, is National Population and Housing Census Day and will be observed as a public holiday throughout Uganda, to enable people to be counted pursuant to the Public Holidays Act 1965,” stated Bitarakwate.
The forthcoming census will be conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), a government agency responsible for gathering and analyzing statistical data.
Albert Byamugisha, the chairperson of the UBOS board, addressed the media at the Naguru Police headquarters on Monday, urging the public to remain at home during the census period and cooperate with enumerators to ensure accurate data collection.
Highlighting the significance of the census, Byamugisha emphasized its objective of collecting essential information regarding the country’s population and housing demographics. This data is crucial for informing various government policies and development initiatives.
The census activities will commence on Thursday, May 9, as 114,460 enumerators and their 18,483 supervisors begin door-to-door visits to collect information from households across the country.
