The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) says it has strengthened security of the 2024 National Housing and Population Census (NHPC) enumerators following cases of attacks in two separate incidents.
This is after one of the enumerators identified as Andrew Ssali was attacked and killed by unknown people in Najeera, a Kampala suburb on Saturday night.
Another one identified as James Kalyango was stabbed by unknown assailants on Friday morning as he made village rounds to mobilise residents for the census exercise using a megaphone speaker.
According to Dr Chris Mukiza, the Bureau’s Executive Director, they are working with Local Government officials, Resident District Commissioners and District Police Commanders to beef up security of enumerators.
Dr Mukiza adds that specifically for Apaa where there are land disputes, the Bureau has written to the Chief of Defence Forces requesting for support to which he has responded positively.
He reveals that so far, 5.7m people have so far been enumerated from 1.6m households across the country.
The 2024 census exercise that kicked off on May 10 shall be concluded on May 19 except for the three districts of Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono where a one-day extension was announced due to glitches at the start.
The 2024 National Census is the first to have digital technology used to collect, process, and disseminate census results.