Katikiro Mayiga to champion national population census in Buganda

The Katikiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga has accepted to Champion this year’s National population census in Buganda to take place on May 10, 2024.

Accepting this call, Mayiga was meeting a team from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics(UBOS) headed by the Executive Director Dr. Chris Mukisa at Bulange Mengo ahead of the preparations for the 2024 Population census.

According to Mukiza, as part of the census exercise, they have entailed the questionnaire with questions concerning clans to ascertain how many people form each clan in the Buganda region.

He requested the Katikiro through championing this exercise, to appeal to all Kabaka’s subjects to take part in the census exercise.

“The strength of each clan, education level, and also their social characteristics we shall do tabulations and know. But also even we who are not originally from Buganda we have clans. Therefore it will be important to know, my relatives in Buganda,” he said.

Dr. Mukiza revealed how far UBOS has moved in terms of implementing its pledges, among which included producing the first “Essazalyo” an abstract with rich information regarding people in the kingdom. He said once the kingdom in the country is doing well, absolutely the country too is always doing well.

“Some people are confused they think there’s the kingdom and there’s the government, yet we are all serving the same interests of the people in Uganda,” he noted.

He also noted that the Bureau has trained some people from the Kingdom, and also attached some of its staff to work in company with Buganda to fully have a successful census exercise.

On his part, the Katikiro promised to reach out to Kabaka’s subjects to urge them to participate in the census exercise due to take place in May.

He thanked the UBOS management for the continuous efforts in ensuring the nation is fed with relevant statistics, and also for the Bureau’s collaboration that led to the publication of the Buganda statistics maiden report.

“The National Census is not a political activity and neither is it an activity of collecting tax, it’s an activity where data is collected for the benefit and development of our country. I therefore urge every Ugandan to ensure they are counted come May 10, 2024,” he said.

He agreed to champion this year’s National population census and also promised to relay information regarding the exercise to the Kabaka.

“I urge people to give UBOS the information that it requires. It’s important to note that what the ED of UBOS has told us is all about the government knowing where the schools are where the hospitals are, and the state in which these facilities are in. It’s extremely very important. Therefore don’t be afraid to be counted,” said Mayiga.

During the same meeting Uganda Bureau of Statistics contributed Shs. 5 million towards Kabaka’s birthday run due to take place on April 7, 2024.

The population census is scheduled to kick off on May 10 and will run for 10 days.

UBOS expects to release the preliminary census results within one month after the exercise.