KAMPALA: On February 20, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Uganda donated over twenty computers and accessories worth USD43,000 (UGX 157 million) to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) ahead of the National Housing and Population Census 2023.
The equipment which included 10 Desktop computers for large dataset processing and 10 Desktop computers for GIS Mapping is appropriate in supporting georeferenced data and analysis of large data sets.
Census night has been gazette for the night of August 24/25 and the exercise will take 10 days up to 3rd September 2023. This will be the 6th post-independence Census and the first digital Census conducted in Uganda.
While handing over the equipment to UBOS Executive director Mr. Chris Mukiza, UNFPA Uganda Representative Dr. Mary Otieno underscored the importance of quality data in guiding policy decisions, service delivery and achieving commitments like attaining the middle-income status.
She said UNFPA has always provided and will continue to provide support, and assist government address the financial and technical barriers to the successful implementation of the Census exercise.
“UNFPA’s mandate on data and evidence generation is to strengthen national capacities to ensure that population and housing censuses are of high quality in terms of generation, analysis, dissemination and utilization of the data and undertaken in a timely manner, relevant, and disaggregated according to international principles and standards. In collaboration with the office of the UN Country Team, UNFPA will continue to support UBOS to ensure a successful and credible census in Uganda,” Dr. Otieno said.
The Representative pointed out that the Census will provide required data on Uganda’s population structure to measure the progress made and to influence subsequent planning and decision making geared at social economic transformation.
“More important now than ever, accurate and timely information is also critical for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the Parish Development Model and guide preparations for the National Development Plan IV as well as achieving the SDGs,” Dr Otieno said.
Executive Director UBOS Dr. Chris Mukiza said a Census exercise is among the most complex and massive undertakings that no country can undertake without support. He said the Census exercise is estimated to cost the government USD 102.6 million.
“This exercise involves mapping the entire country, mobilizing and training many enumerators, conducting public advocacy campaign, canvassing all households, compiling vast amounts of data, electronic form, and analyzing and disseminating data. Partnering with other stakeholders including development partners, private sector is therefore critical,” Mr. Mukiza said.
The last NPHC was undertaken in August /September 2014. Then, the total population of Uganda recorded was 34.6 million persons, representing an increase of 10.4 million persons from the 2002 census.
