The Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has announced criteria for recruiting enumerators for the upcoming national population census. Only individuals with registered smartphones and mobile money numbers in their own names will be eligible. This census, the sixth in Uganda’s history, is scheduled for the night of May 9th leading into May 10th, 2024, with over 120,000 enumerators to be hired.
Executive Director of UBOS, Chris Mukiza, provided an update on Thursday regarding preparations for the census. Mukiza emphasized the digitization of the process, including payment mechanisms for enumerators, aimed at eliminating intermediary costs.
Enumerators must possess smartphones or tablets capable of storing enumeration data. Additionally, UBOS will collaborate with local governments in the recruitment process to ensure transparency and discourage corruption. Final selections will be conducted at the UBOS headquarters based on predetermined criteria.
Each enumerator will be responsible for counting between 50 to 80 households during the census period. Currently, census preparation stands at 90.3 percent completion, with 50 districts having fully clean data and others nearing completion. Kampala, Mukono, and Wakiso districts are exceptions, requiring distinct strategies due to their unique population structures.
UBOS anticipates receiving the first batch of tablets for census use early next month, further solidifying the transition to a digital census approach.
