UBOS increases number of enumerators and supervisors in greater Kampala

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has increased the number of enumerators and supervisors in greater Kampala region, to fasten their work of carrying out the national population and housing census.

This revelation comes at a time after the statistics body suffered glitches on the first day of the census, especially in areas of greater Kampala which make up Mukono and wakiso.

According to the Bureau, on the first day, 20,000 of the enumerators in greater Kampala were not recruited in the right procedure, this resulting into a delay to commence the enumeration exercise in different villages.

In an engagement with this website the Board Chair UBOS Albert Byamugisha, stated that it’s the same category of people whose tablets failed to log in since they had not been accredited and some required to be rebooted.

“There are some enumerators who logged in and their computers could not open properly. Some needed to be rebooted so that the system works. Just know this is a computer. When you go to your computer and start it, once it refuses to give you what you want, it usually instructs you to reboot it,” he said.

Regarding the issue of training allowances as some of the enumerators complained about not receiving their money, Byamugisha advised that this is being handled with local governments.

He said those who were recruited behind the system of UBOS illegally, there’s no way they will be paid because they are not recognized in the system.

Byamugisha explained, “Most people have been complaining about training allowances and then the amount of money they are going to be paid. I want to make it clear that this is being handled expeditiously with the support of the local governments, to ensure that we receive the names and numbers of all the appointed staff.”

UBOS believes that once these names and contacts are uploaded into the recruitment portal, it will enable them to carry out effective payments of all enumerators and supervisors around the country.

Byamugisha asserted that there’s no way the Bureau will pay people who are not in their system, saying that if one is recruited wrongly and not in the system, they cannot be accounted for in terms of payments.

The statistics body hence called upon district leaders such as Chief administrative officers and town clerks to avail only attendance lists of enumerators who were available during the 9 day training.

“For the subcounty supervisors, about 100 districts have already been paid. They have sent correct attendances, well verified and we have received them. So the remaining ones please work hard and make sure that you send the lists which are verified before the end of the day and the enumerators will get their money,” he said.

Regarding parish supervisors and enumerators, the Board Chair UBOS noted that 6 districts have been paid with only 25 still pending.

Byamugisha mentioned that the 6 paid include Mukono, Kaberamayido, Buvuma, Kiboga and Kalangala among others.

He added that, “some of the other pending 25 include Budaka, Butambala, Ntoroko, Masaka, Kaliro, Moyo among others. All these are yet to receive their payments. We want to assure all our field staff that they will be paid directly through their mobile money phone numbers.”

When asked whether there’s likely to be an extension of the census exercise, Byamugisha highlighted that this may likely happen only in districts that have boundary issues.

He said they are working along with Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) in such areas, so as to provide security to enumerators to carry out their work well.

Today is day 4 ever since the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) commenced with the census exercise. 30% coverage of households has been registered by the Bureau, out of the estimated 8.7 million.

LC 1’s have been called upon to inform their residents to make appointments with enumerators, especially in situations where one can’t avail information to anyone staying home so as to reveal it to the enumerators