Census2024: Why Kampala Came Last in Household Mapping

Summary:

• With 55 days left until the national census, Uganda’s Bureau of Statistics has nearly completed household mapping, prioritizing Kampala last due to its dynamic nature. The census aims to gather critical data for planning and policy formulation, with active participation encouraged from citizens.

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With 55 days remaining until the national census night, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has achieved 92% completion in its household mapping endeavors nationwide.

Initiating the mapping activity in the capital, Kampala, the Bureau convened with city officials at City Hall on Thursday.

Deliberately, Kampala was kept for the final phase of mapping, as elucidated by Dr. Chris Mukiza, UBOS’s Executive Director. He cited the dynamic nature of Kampala, with its constant emergence of new settlements and residences, as a challenge for conventional mapping methods. Hence, static areas were given priority, with Kampala left for later stages.

“Mapping earlier in Kampala would have been disadvantageous due to the continual emergence of new homesteads and settlements,” explained Mukiza. “One might find an entire new village springing up. That’s why we’ve chosen to map it last.”

Earlier this week, UBOS commenced the household mapping operation in the adjacent Mukono District.

The mapping process involves segmenting the population into manageable units termed “enumeration areas,” each akin to the size of a single LC1 village, comprising 50–80 households.

Utilizing digital mapping tools, UBOS officials are crafting an exhaustive interactive map essential for the forthcoming census enumeration. This map will accurately pinpoint the location of each household and its designated head, facilitating a more efficient data collection process.

For census purposes, a household is defined as “a group of people living together under the same roof and sharing meals.”

UBOS urges active participation from Ugandans in the ongoing preparatory activities leading up to the census.

Scheduled to commence on May 9, 2024, and conclude on May 19, 2024, the census will span 10 days.

Uganda conducts a national census every decade, with the last one undertaken in 2014.

The census data holds pivotal significance in guiding planning, policy formulation, program implementation, and monitoring development progress aligned with national objectives and goals.