Census: We Now Know Where the Very Poor Live
The East African (Nairobi)
INTERVIEW
April 25, 2005
By Bamuturaki Musinguzi
Nairobi
Uganda last month released the findings of the 2002 Population and Housing Census. BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI spoke to the executive director of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, John B. Male Mukasa
The Population and Housing Census was carried out in August 2002 and the report was expected after one year. Why has it taken you almost two years to release the report?
It was a very comprehensive census. The census questionnaire used was more detailed than previous ones or what any other country has used. We we are also transcribing the information manually into computers as opposed to other methods like scanning; and this was time consuming.
What are the salient issues in the census report?
That the population is growing at a rapid rate of 3.3 per cent per annum, and now stands at 24.4 million people. It is also now possible to identify poverty enclaves. It is one thing saying that we have the rural poor, but even within the rural people there are enclaves where you find the majority of the poor. Even in urban areas, we know there are slums where the poor live, but even within those so-called slums you can get into smaller area-identification of where the very poor are. And these are still unexplored areas of population information that we have collected.
Are you concerned about the population growth rate?
The growth rate is not so much a concern but rather the quality of life that the growing population will have. What facilities do we have or can we offer and what are is our ability to nurture this growing populace into productive citizens?
What were the major challenges of the census?
It cost us $17 million, which is a lot of money mobilised over five years. For example, we started the mapping back in 1998. And these resources were not always available. There were periods in between when we had to suspend the preparations because resources were lacking.
How much did it cost you per person?
About US 75 cents per person enumerated, and that is arrived at by dividing what we have generally spent up to this point, which is about $17 million, and the population that was enumerated or 24.4 million people.
South Africa carried out a census at the same time using a short questionnaire, but the exercise cost $2.5 per person enumerated while Zambia spent $1.6 per person. We hired fewer foreign consultants and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics did most of the work, making use of the extensive administrative infrastructure up to the district level. Analysing and disseminating the data may push the total sum used up to $18 million.
What is the relationship between the census size and the voters register, given that the opposition says the government may try to manipulate the report?
We did not have any interference and pressures in the processing of our data, and the information that was given about the age structure, which is basically age structure and nationality, is what determines the voters register. We know that in Uganda, people qualify to be voters at the age of 18 and the census report gives the proportion of people who are 18 years and above.
And of course we know that not all those who qualify by age to vote, register to do so. In any case, the role of registering voters is the responsibility of the Electoral Commission.
The agriculture census usually follows the population and housing census. Are there any plans to hold the agriculture census, which is already behind schedule?
Ideally, the agriculture census should follow the population census because the former collects information on the structure and organisation of agriculture, and for a country that depends so much on agriculture it is imperative that we get up to-date-information on the sector. We have developed a framework for the agriculture census and we have already undertaken a pilot census to test the questionnaire that will be used, but funding has been a constraint.
When should Ugandans expect the next population and housing census?
The normal interval for population and housing censuses is 10 years. The next Round of Global Censuses is called Global Round 2010, but since we undertook our census in 2002, most likely the next census will be around 2011 or 2012.
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